Sixteen and a Group of Thirty Somethings
by Chunk127
Summary: Cut off from Jor El and with Kara doing a much better job then he is at saving the world Clark decides to instead travel the world. His next stop, Washington DC.
1. Morning Jog

Smallville: Season 10 AU Post Supergirl

MCU: The Winter Soldier

* * *

Clark jogged around Washington DC just trying to figure out what the hell happened to his life. He saved the world, he stayed behind to make sure Zod didn't destroy earth or conquer it. He forsook his people for earth. Why is he being punished? Lois left he guesses it was her choice. He didn't exactly beg her to stay. He sent Carter to look after her for a while and he reported back that she chose to stay. Carter suspects that Lois knows his secret and is keeping quiet because she believes she's holding him back. Given the facebook post with her and Perry's nephew Richard he's guessing she moved on. After all it was what broke her and Oliver up. She felt she could never keep up with Oliver so what would happen if the truth came out about him? Ironically his superhero career crashed and burned after she left. Jor El disowned him for nearly killing a Lex clone. He can't kill a monster that was going to blow up half of Metropolis. But Jor El can vaporize all the teenage girls and federal agents he wants. And what was his plan for Lex when he was possessed by Zod… oh yeah shiv him with a crystal dagger.

As for Metropolis, well, Kara's got it under control for now. She can withstand the darkness. As it is now if Clark gets near it, it will likely swallow him whole, with Kara doing such a good job in his place there was no need for him in Metropolis anymore. Since Jor El is giving him the cold shoulder Clark decided to spend the last few months exploring the world to see the people in it that he wants to save. He was actually in Europe until last week he got an unexpected phone… No, not this again!

"On your left."

Clark shook his head, the blur is not exactly active anymore… why not. Clark picked up speed and saw the dirty blondish haired man. "Not this time pal."

They both ran as they turned the corner and ran straight down. They both came up to another runner and shouted. "On your left." They both turn and increase speed going just a little faster as they turn the corner again along with the next two coming to a familiar person.

The person they were about to pass rolled his eyes in frustration here they go again. "Don't do it, don't do it."

"On your left!"

The man tries to catch up to them, but after a few seconds he's unable to carry on and stops to rest.

* * *

Clark and the person he was running against walked up to the other guy.

"Need a medic?" Clark's opponent asked.

The other man laughed. "I need a new set of lungs. Dude, you just ran like thirteen miles in thirty minutes."

Clark's opponent laughed. **"** I guess I got a late start." He turned to Clark. "How'd you run so fast?"

Clark looked at them not good as he sat down on the floor. "I just figured you'd be exhausted after the first twenty miles. I'm tired."

The other guy looked at him. "Oh, really? You should both be ashamed of yourselves. You should take another lap." He hesitated for a moment before saying sarcastically "Did you two just take it? I assumed you two just took it?

"What unit are you with?" Clark's opponent asked.

"Fifty-eighth, Para-rescue. But now I'm working down at the VA. Sam Wilson." Sam replied.

"Steve Rogers." Clark's opponent introduced himself. Not that Clark didn't know who he is. Steve gives Sam a hand to rise and help him up.

Sam looked at him. **"** I kind of put that together. Must have freaked you out coming home after the whole defrosting thing."

"It takes some getting used to." Steve replied. "It's good to meet you, Sam."

Steve turned to Clark. "And you are?"

Clark got up to his feet and shook their hands. "Clark Kent"

Steve looked at him well he's not military that's for sure but he can't shake the feeling that something's wrong with this picture. Or he's a training to be an Olympic athlete. "You're not military are you?"

"No"

"Reporter?"

"Formerly, I quit, but Tess is calling it a sabbatical." Clark answered.

Steve looked at him. "Are you looking for a story?"

Clark shook his head. He's Captain America of course he would have interviewers hounding him. "No I'm on sabbatical and I don't know if I'm heading back."

Sam looked at him. "Problems at home."

Clark nodded. "Something like that."

Steve looked at the two for a moment and turned to leave not really feeling like he can talk to people 70 years ahead of his time.

"It's your bed right?" Sam asked luring Steve back.

"What's that?" Steve asked.

Sam looked at him and clarified. "Your bed, it's too soft. When I was over there I slept on the ground and used rock for pillows, like a caveman. Now I'm home, lying in my bed and it's like..."

"Lying on a marshmallow. I feel like I'm gonna sink right to the floor." Steve replied.

Sam smiled and nodded his head.

"How long?" Steve asked knowing Sam was in the military.

"Two tours." Sam answered. "You must miss the good old days, huh?"

Steve thought on it momentarily. "Well, things aren't so bad. Food's a lot better, we used to boil everything. No polio is good. Internet, so helpful. I've been reading that a lot trying to catch up."

"Marvin Gaye, 1972, "Trouble Man" soundtrack. Everything you've missed jammed into one album." Sam offered.

Steve smiled. "I'll put it on the list." Steve gets his small notebook and pen out and notes it down on his list.

Clark took the time to look over the list as Steve flips to the latest page showing Star wars Rocky and other things. As tempted as he is, he can't let Captain America watch that. "The last item on the last page you were on, I'd cross that out if I were you."

Steve looked at the list item. "A good friend put that on the list for me."

"Your friend is screwing with you." Clark replied. "If I could have caught Bart I would have punched him in the face full charge for trying to show me that. I'd recommend avoiding it for your own mental sanity.".

Steve looked at it. So does the word of a complete stranger carry more weight then a friend you fought on the battlefield with… "I don't know he said it was important."

Sam looked at the list item. Well... Clark's definitely not wrong. "Who do you trust more with your mental health complete strangers or Tony Stark?"

Steve takes a pen and crosses off two girls... from the list..

Steve gets a text message and checked his phone. _'Mission alert. Extraction imminent. Meet at the curb. :)'_ "Alright, Sam, Clark, duty calls. Thanks for the run. If that's what you two wanna call running." The three shake hands.

"Oh, that's how it is?" Sam asked.

Steve nodded. **"** Oh, that's how it is."

Sam laughed. **"** Okay. Any time you wanna stop by the VA, make me look awesome in front of the girl at the front desk, just let me know."

Steve smiled he might have made a friend. "I'll keep it in mind."

"Okay." Sam replied.

* * *

Clark watched as a black car came up. Don't be Tess or Oliver… especially not Oliver. He watched the window roll down and can only wish it was Tess. Instead was a beautiful green eyed redhead in a black car. Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow.

Natasha looked out the window and saw Steve with two new friends. "Hey, fellas. Any of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil."

Steve walked over to her car and got in; Sam gave Natasha and her car an appreciative look. Natasha looked at the other person. He gave her an appreciative look but unlike Sam it's like he's looking for something. Is he a SHIELD agent watching Steve when Sharon can't?

Sam smiled at Natasha. "How you doing?"

Natasha just gave a cold shrug. "Hey."

Steve looked at the two. "You can't run everywhere."

Clark bites his tongue if just to avoid saying speak for yourself. He didn't expect Natasha to show up. Thanks for the heads up partner.

Sam shook his head. "No, you can't."

They watched as Natasha quickly pulls away and drives off.

Clark turned to the last person here. "It was nice meeting you Sam."

"Yeah, you too man." Sam replied. "Stop by sometime."

"I'm not a soldier." Clark replied.

Sam looked at him. He might not have enlisted but he recognizes a fighter when he sees one. "Fair enough."

* * *

Once out of range of everyone Clark looked around once he was certain no one was nearby he pulled out his phone and dialed and listened for the other person until he heard her.

"Nice job choking when the Black Widow showed up."

Clark took a breath to keep calm no crushing the phone. "She caught me off guard… wasn't much I could do Chloe. By the way thanks for warning me that I was running neck and neck with a super soldier."

Chloe took a small breath. "Didn't have the heart to stop you. It looked like you were having fun for a change. So, tell me you found something. Can I have hope for even an inkling?"

Clark shook his head trying to figure this out. "No, I didn't see anything on insight. Did you have any luck hacking into it?"

"No, it's like the computer itself was working against me I've never seen anything like it before." Chloe replied at her laptop.

Clark thought on it. "How about watchtower can we get better results there?"

Chloe shook her head. "That's not an option Clark, I told you that."

"Actually you called me in Rome and said everyone we care about is in trouble get to Washington DC. I've been scratching my head as to why I haven't told Oliver where you are already."

"Because one day real soon the team is going to be kidnapped by something big. We can't save them if we're kidnapped too." Chloe answered.

Clark leaned back against the wall. "So what is insight anyway?"

"Right now from the very little I could get off it, it's a list of about twenty million people. Also most of the names are locked up tight. If I didn't know how to look for you and the others with the Fate helmet. I never would have found out about it."

Clark thought on it that's frightening. "So, what number is everyone?"

Chloe rolled her eyes, yeah that's what matters now. "You were 16, Kara is 30. I'm 31, Oliver is 33 Carter is 38 I'm still working to get the rest."

Clark nodded no closer to this mystery now then ever. "Keep at it. I'll stay close to Captain America."

"Hero worshiper" Chloe shook her head in disbelief hearing the dial tone.

Clark hung up the phone and simply walked trying to figure out his next move. Yes he worshiped Captain America a bit when he was a kid. Guy using powers that made him different to do the right thing. Of course he'd look up to him. He would have even joined the fight in New York against the alien army if he wasn't busy being poisoned by the Justice League and then trading blows with Doomsday while Oliver and the others gave the two a Texas Funeral. Problem is after Checkmate he's not sure this SHIELD can be trusted and this list isn't helping.

* * *

Author Notes

As for the time of day not matching up. Clark would already be the red blue blur during the Avengers. I had to write something to keep the League out of the Chutari fight.


	2. Trust

Clark walked into the apartment and saw Chloe hard at work at her computer. Clark looked at the screen and just saw a whole lot blocked access screens. "Problems?"

Chloe pointed at him but bit her tongue for now. "Don't start."

Clark looked at the screen. "I see you're having the same luck I am."

Chloe glared at him. "Oh no, you made a friend which is more then I can say about me. I did however crack a few more names on the list and the more I see of it the less I like it. I think it's getting to the point where we might have to do something illegal. Maybe have you kidnap Nick Fury even."

Clark looked at her and he's wondering if his head just auto tilted from that. "Chloe, I am not kidnapping the director of SHIELD."

Chloe shook her head. "We might not have a choice AC is 39, Lois is 4,354,981, and even your mother is in the 15 millions. It's like everyone we know is on that list. And trust me Clark I don't know what this list is but if I was shown it there is a damn good reason for it."

Clark nodded as he thought over his options. "One day me and you are going to have a talk about what you've done these past months because of that helmet."

"But today?" Chloe asked.

Clark sighed knowing what's about to happen. "I have to go find the head of SHIELD."

* * *

Clark ran through the streets of DC just trying to find any sign of Fury. "Chloe, do you have anything because I can't find him in person."

Chloe worked on her computer. "There's a whole bunch of cops chasing someone down on tenth in complete radio silence, he matches Fury's description."

"I'm on it." Clark ran in a blur he arrived just in time to see a black truck blown up from underneath. Clark used his X-ray vision and quickly found Nick Fury. Clark walked to the truck but was blasted aside by a shot to the back that sent him into the air as the kryptonian tumbled to the floor.

Clark shook himself off to only see the embodiment of a Russian soldier walking to the truck. The soldier ripped the door off only to see Fury cut a way out of the car underground. The soldier felt a hand on his shoulder and was flung into the air by Clark and the soldier came crashing to the ground.

The soldier pulled himself up and held his rifle and shot at Clark who just stood there and watched the bullets bounce harmlessly off him. The soldier saw this wasn't working and quickly pulled a grenade from his belt and threw it at Clark.

Clark simply caught the bomb and wrapped both hands around it causing the explosion to do absolutely nothing but make smoke around his hands.

The soldiers head tilted even with his facemask you could probably see the fear in his eyes as he turned in the other direction and ran.

Clark looked at him then moved in a blur quickly catching up to the soldier and just touched him in the back of the head. The solider crumbled to the ground and Clark just looked at him and ripped off the mask looking at the face. "What the?"

* * *

Chloe leaned back against the wall and she thinks it's safe to say she's at a dead end. Maybe she should just text Tess for help. She's taken out of her thoughts by a breeze of wind and turns to see Clark and… "What did you do!?"

Clark looked at her confused. "I brought in the bad guy so he wouldn't hurt anyone else."

Chloe looked at the mark on his metal arm as proof. "Clark it's not like you brought some low level thug do you know who he is?"

Clark nodded. "Yeah I know."

Chloe looked down. "That's the Winter Soldier Clark, AKA the most notorious hitman that ever lived. He's cold, and ruthless, and… particularly well preserved for someone pushing 60 at least I mean Carter couldn't even take him down in the 70s.… What's going on?"

Clark shook his head. "Technically the winter soldier might be closer to a hundred."

Chloe looked at him. "You know who he is?"

Clark nodded. "Yeah, anyone whose been in the Smithsonian's Captain America exhibit would know who he is. He's Bucky Barnes."

Chloe looked at her best friend as he put Bucky's Mechanical arm in something like a vice. Chloe shook her head. "No way he's Captain America's right hand man no chance in hell does he serve as the Winter Soldier." Chloe went to the computer and hit a couple clicks. "This is what the Winter Soldier is capable of. And this is just what the Justice Society has on him."

Clark skimmed through it and that was more then enough to get an idea that this a very dangerous man.

Chloe looked at him. "He seems like the guy we stop. What happened to him in all this time?"

Clark shrugged. "I don't know, and everyone who would know is more then likely dead."

Chloe shook her head. "Not all of them."

Clark frowned and sat down. "I just got done ensuring the guy that I wasn't a reporter and now you're asking me to interview him."

"Greater good" Chloe replied knowing what's on the line if the Fate helmet showed her it.

Clark said nothing but headed for the door. "Don't go near him he won't hesitate for a second to kill you."

* * *

Steve took a moment walking out of the veteran's center seeing Sam at work and familiar stories. He stepped outside and saw his other new person he met during his jog. "I hope you're not here for a rematch."

Clark shook his head. "Nothing that brave"

Steve looked at him. "Well you look nervous. What's troubling you?"

"I've lost track on how to answer that." Clark answered honestly.

Steve let out an empty smile. "Yeah, I know how that feels."

Clark looked at him just ask. And hope for the best. "Steve the reason I'm here today and I swear when I was retired I meant it. I need to ask you a couple questions about the war if that's OK?"

Steve looked at him. "Depends how much of this is going into the paper?"

Clark looked at him and smiled. "Not one word of it."

Steve looked with a smile. It's a welcome change. "Then why are you asking?"

Clark smiled a small bit. "Personal curiosity, I was always a fan of yours someone who was just wanting to help the world."

Steve looked at him silently for a moment he reminds of himself before the serum. "Ask away."

Clark nodded. "Feel free to tell me I'm going too far. But I want to know about James Barnes."

Steve's face went stoic well at least he was nice enough to warn him he might go too far but for him to bring up. Bucky was unexpected. "Buck, what do you want to know about him?"

Clark shrugged thinking of an ice breaker. "What was he like?"

Steve smiled this could be one very long conversation but decided to keep it short. "He was a lot like me just no powers. He was my best friend. Even when I didn't had nothing I had Bucky. Why so curious about him?"

Clark looked at him. "He was the only one to not make it home. But I was wondering if he ever got a blood transfusion from you. Maybe something to make him stronger?"

Steve shook his head. "I was the only person to ever go through the super soldier experiment. Bucky didn't have anything done to him… at least on our end."

Clark looked at him. "Our end?"

Steve nodded. "Bucky and his entire squadron was taken captive by HYDRA. They could have experimented on him before I got to him. Why are you asking about him?"

"Optimism" Clark replied. In a way it's true. He's hoping Bucky can snap out of it but in the meantime it might be a good idea to keep Hydra's best weapon away from their ultimate enemy. "I figured if they pulled you out of the ice. Why not him?"

Steve nodded. He never really thought of hope but he knows the truth. Someone would have found him by now. "Sadly Buck didn't crash into the ocean it was over land. Someone would have found him in the past seventy years." Steve sighed between seeing a Peggy who couldn't remember him and this. "Sorry, but this has been a little more draining then I thought. You got a card I'll answer your questions another day."

Clark nodded. "Sure." He went into his pocket and gave an old work card from the Planet. Still had his cell phone number on it. "Call anytime."

"Thanks" Steve took the card. "It was nice seeing you again."

"You too." Clark replied as he left.

Steve watched as Clark left but he kept his eyes on him until he was out of sight. He quietly pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. "I need a favor."

* * *

Clark walked a block down before his own cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"Get outside our hideout right now!"

* * *

 **Five Minutes Ago**

Chloe sat by her monitor in a rare moment of unbridled fury she's debating putting her fist through the monitor. Nothing would be nice to have right about now. She has even less then that. Chloe looked over at the Winter Soldier still unconscious. "Well at least you're still quiet."

Chloe went back to her work when she started to hear a beep. Bucky's metallic arm was beeping. OK that's weird. She wondered how long that has been happening. She walked over to the arm and focused her eyes trying to see a door. She smiled finding the latch she wanted and pulled it off seeing a rapidly blinking little gadget. Clark you big dumb a… She quickly grabbed a pair of pliers and pulled it off running out of the room. The room stayed silent until nothing was heard but a flush from the bathroom.

Chloe sat in the chair taking a breath of relief until she saw two black SUVs pull up. Chloe ran back in and chose to hide for lack of a better word.

Chloe stayed hidden as the door was opened. She wouldn't be stupid enough to take a picture the joys of evolving as a reporter so she went to dial Clark only to see she conveniently has no bars they must be scrambling the signals. Knowing the snaps of a picture will give her away she quickly switches the phone to video recording as loud slams hit the door. She watches with her phone and sees a squad of men in black baklavas hiding their faces.

One of the men took their masks off revealing his face and looked at the Winter soldier. "Report"

"We're not alone." Bucky warned.

Chloe put the phone aside and quietly opened a crate in the bedroom pulling out a recurve bow. Queen Industries prototype, the only person who could miss with this baby is the person with the money to buy it.

Chloe backed for the window and quickly ducked the soldiers quickly fire into the bedroom but not anywhere near her. Chloe quickly aimed high and fired. The arrow flew above the soldiers hitting the chandelier above them cutting the connection to the ceiling as it crashed down knocking a big group down into a pile leaving only the unmasked soldier and the Winter Soldier.

The unmasked soldier smiled impressed since no one is dead. "That's a hell of a shot. Who taught you how to shoot like that?"

Chloe looked like she was thinking as she turned on one of Ollie's voice modulators. "I honestly don't remember. You wouldn't believe how I spent my Summer Vacation."

Chloe quickly loaded up another arrow and fired it into the room. The soldier watched the arrow veer to the right and miss him and the asset they were sent to collect.

The soldier looked at the hole between the two. "You know the fact that you took down him is more then proof of how good you are. Add in my friends and we can find a place for you in our ranks."

Chloe leaned against the wall phone out. "Your friend killed a lot of people over the years."

"We think for the good of everyone. If it means sacrificing a few for the many so be it." The soldier replied.

Chloe's eyes widen in fear. The tech in Bucky's arm, the SWAT team that showed up in silence, how the Winter Soldier showed up. It all leads to one thing but it can't be can it? She quickly grabbed her laptop and an emergency pack. In case her and Clark had to run off in a hurry. "HYDRA!"

The soldiers eyes lit up in disbelief. "Clever girl, kill her."

Chloe quickly pushed a button on the bow causing the arrow she fired in the room to blink a red light before exploding knocking the man down and a smokescreen that covered the room.

Chloe opened the door and quickly bolted up the fire escape she'll never outrun the Winter Soldier and that bomb will buy her thirty seconds at best so running to ground level is out. Chloe ran onto the roof and quickly went into her pack. She pulled out a unique looking contraption and activated it as a steel cable shot out one end and hit a steal pipe in the building she's standing on and another hit a pipe across the street. Chloe held onto the device as she rode it across to the next building, rich people and their toys. This one's not even Ollie's.

Chloe saw the two come up and quickly took cover at the next building. She grabbed her phone and smiled seeing it had a signal. She hit the number and waited. "Get outside our hideout right now! I gotta jump!"

Chloe looked over and saw the Winter Soldier who quickly fired a shot as she hid back behind the wall. She crawled across the roof as the bullets rained against the wall. She wasted no time and took a swan dive off the roof.

The mercenary looked at the descending blond well, she must know of the price of crossing HYDRA if you cross them. The winter Soldier looked at the descending woman and just fired three shots at her.

Clark turned the corner and saw Chloe falling from across the street. Does he even want to know how this happened? One thing at a time, Clark ran up the wall as fast as he could and caught Chloe palming the three bullets Bucky shot.

The HYDRA soldier looked in awe seeing nothing where's the body? Who the hell did they pick a fight with?

* * *

Clark stopped ten blocks away and gently put Chloe down. "I'll be right back."

Chloe quickly grabbed his arm. "No, no, you can't."

Clark looked at her. "Why not?"

Chloe frowned. "There's kryptonite in there."

Clark looked at her in disbelief. Did she not learn anything from Zod? "Why do you even have that here?!"

Chloe looked at him. "One year, name one year you weren't controlled by kryptonite or magic at least once."

Clark looked at her before weakly muttering "5" Stupid green rocks. "So what do we do now?"

"Hide till we can figure out a move." Chloe replied.

Clark nodded. "Works for me"

* * *

Clark leaned against the wall at the hotel they're staying in now. Clark's taking it all in that HYDRA is supposedly back. "Chloe, you can't be serious. I mean they were wiped out years ago."

Chloe looked up from her keyboard waiting for her search to find something. It's been a decade why does Clark still doubt her? "Clark they're HYDRA they're main quote is cut off one head two more take it's place. You ever see the Disney movie alone that thing had like a million heads. Maybe the fate helmet was warning me about this. About HYDRA." She looked as the ID finished.

Clark rolled his eyes as Chloe's computer scanned the guy in the apartment with her and Bucky. "Yeah well I'm going to find Cap…"

"No, you're not." Chloe shot to her feet cutting him off.

Clark turned to her surprised. "Chloe, if the fate helmet really sent us here to stop HYDRA don't you think it would be a good idea to get the guy that knows more about HYDRA then likely anyone."

Chloe turned her laptop around showing Clark what she's found. "Meet Brock Rumlow, He's STRIKE team's commander… second to only one man."

Clark shook his head. "That's not possible."

Chloe looked at him. "Look, I know you hate the idea of people not being who you thought they were but it's not like this is the first time something like this has happened."

Clark looked at her for a moment. "Yeah, but Captain America joined HYDRA that's like the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

Chloe looked at him. "Warrior Angel selling his marriage in exchange for his 102 year old grandmother."

"Second stupidest." Clark replied. No wonder why Ryan said don't read the comics after a certain point. "We can't trust anyone in SHIELD can we?"

Chloe shook her head. "For all we know they've all been compromised. The STRIKE team at least but given they pulled the Winter Soldier out of retirement aka Cap's best friend. I'm pretty sure this is going to get worst before it gets better."

Clark could only nod in agreement. They're stuck here till they figure out their next move.

* * *

Clark opened his eyes at 12:30 in the morning frigging beeping computer. He struggled over as a walking solar battery he can't sleep when the sun is up. This better be important. Clark looked at the computer as his mind slowly rebooted becoming fully awake. Yeah, that's important. "Chloe, wake up."

Chloe's eyes moved slowly as she looked at him. "What's going on?"

"Your computer just went off… Nick Fury was just taken to the hospital in critical condition." Clark informed her. "They stabilized him but it's still touch and go."

Chloe instantly got to her feet and went to the other room to get dressed. "We should get going to the hospital see if we can find anything useful."

Clark nodded. Guess he's not done investigating yet.

* * *

Clark walked through the hospital deflated. Fury died long before they could get anywhere near him. He hit his ear piece. "Watchtower, tell me you found something?"

"Nothing in the computer system. Anything on your end boyscout?"

Clark rolled his eyes. "I need a better code name." Clark came to a stop. He can't find anything and that vending machine had apple pies and he's getting nothing from superhearing. Break time.

Clark walked up to the vending machine there has to be something here. He looked and saw pies, twinkies, oreos, and two gums… with something metallic in the background. Gum it is.

* * *

Chloe looked at her laptop until a metallic flash drive appeared in front of her. "Where did you get that?"

"I have my ways." Clark replied. "Either that or Fury just really wanted it to be found. It was not hidden by a cryptic mastermind."

Chloe looked it over. She took a moment even watchtower's stuff can't compare to this thing. "Yeah but it was made by a genius. This thing is so wired that they'll know where we are within twenty minutes at the longest. Five if they had access to watchtower."

* * *

Steve walked back into the hospital after a very close get away from attacking co workers. He's a wanted man… great. He walked to the vending machine as his eyes rose in terror.

"You look panicked."

Steve turned to the familiar voice and pushed Black Widow into a private room. "What's going on?"

"I don't know." Natasha replied.

Steve glared at her. "Don't lie to me."

Natasha looked at him as it hit her. "There was something in the vending machine. Where did you get it?"

"Why would I tell you?" Steve asked. He just got done kicking the crap out of his comrades.

"Fury gave it to you." Natasha realized. "Why?"

Steve looked at her suspicions growing. "What's on it?"

Natasha looked at him confused. Why is he staring at her like she's with the Red skull? "I don't know."

"Stop lying!" Steve warned.

Natasha kept her cool looking at him. "I only act like I know everything, Rogers."

Steve realized all the pieces coming into place. "I bet you knew Fury hired the pirates, didn't you?"

Natasha thought it through clever enough for Fury. "Well, it makes sense. The ship was dirty, Fury needed a way in, so do you."

Steve stood ready to bolt. He has no reason to stay here with all of SHIELD after him. "I'm not gonna ask you again."

Natasha looked at Steve knowing what she knows. "I know who killed Fury. Most of the intelligence community doesn't believe he exists, the ones who do call him the Winter Soldier. He's credited with over two dozen assassinations in the last fifty years."

Steve looked at her. Either he had company in the ice or. "So he's a ghost story."

Natasha shook her head in a calm demeanor got out. "Five years ago I was escorting a nuclear engineer out of Iran, somebody shot at my tires near Odessa. We lost control, went straight over a cliff, I pulled us out, but the Winter Soldier was there. I was covering my engineer, so he shot him straight through me." She pulled up her shirt to show him the bullet wound on the side of her stomach. "A Soviet slag, no rifling. Bye-bye bikinis."

Steve looked at her in disbelief. "Yeah, I bet you look terrible in them now."

There's a small hint of a smile from Natasha before she replied. "Going after him is a dead end. I know, I've tried. Fortunately that flash drive is not. Your friend has it. Kind of surprised you had me spy on him."

Steve looked at her surprised. He knew you couldn't trust a journalist. "Clark has the flash drive? Did he take anything else? And why didn't you stop him?"

"Two sticks of gum, chocolate cake and an apple pie. And you told me to just watch him." Natasha replied seeing his look of disbelief. "You told me to be thorough and I am. For the record stashing something that got Nick Fury killed behind two pieces of gum… dumbest hiding spot ever. Luckily for now even SHIELD won't suspect a random citizen having it. So let's go get that flash drive back. He should be heading right out the front entrance"

Steve started walking following Natasha.

Natasha smiled seeing another chance. "You know he has a blond friend if they didn't kill Fury maybe she…"

"Are you really doing this right now?"

"I can still multi task."

* * *

Clark walked out with Chloe as casually as they can from the hospital. They have a semblance of a plan they're going to open the flash drive and use superspeed to simulate something Chloe called bouncing proxy making it look like they are all over the country. It was a good plan till they walked out and saw two of the Avengers waiting for them.

Chloe let out a small gulp bad timing.

Clark looked and saw Steve not dressed but shield in hand. He looked over and saw Natasha at least she doesn't have any guns at the moment. "Steve"

"Clark, I think you took something that belonged to me." Steve said. "I'm going to want it back now."

Clark looked at Natasha. "You've been here all night haven't you?" Natasha nodded. Clark silently put the flash drive back in his pocket.

Steve watched the act not amused. "I thought you retired from your job Clark?"

Clark looked at him crestfallen. "It seems every time I get out someone pulls me back in."

Steve kept calm he doesn't want to hurt a civilian. "Just give us the flash drive."

Clark shook his head seeing the fire in his eyes. Bucky failed earlier so Natasha finished the job. Could he have really used his friends to kill Nick Fury for this stupid thing? "I can't do it. I'm sorry."

Steve nodded he wishes he could stay but he doesn't have the time. "So am I?" He threw the shield at Clark just to knock the wind out of him when to his surprise. Clark easily caught it like a child would a baseball. Steve looked at the sight stunned. "Didn't see that coming."

Natasha just let out a dsigruntled sound between groan and sigh. "This will end well."

Chloe shook her head. "It's really coming to this isn't it?"

Clark nodded sadly. "Looks that way."

Chloe looked at him. "Think you can..." She looked around and saw hundreds of people. "Nevermind, give me that shield."

"Do you even know how to use it?" Clark asked wanting a chance to use it.

Chloe looked at him. "More then you do."

"Fine" Clark handed her the shield and Chloe wasted no time testing it in her arm.

Chloe smiled this will work for her.

Natasha wasted no time and went for the headscissors on Chloe she jumped into the air only for Chloe to get the shield up and throw her to the ground with it.

Natasha used a car to help herself up. At least Steve has to be doing better then… Natasha looked only to see the first Avenger about to crash into her. "What the fu…" She crashed to the floor before she could finish and simply pushed Steve off of her. "What happened?"

Steve shook his head he just went to grab him. He's honestly not sure what just happened. He went to grab Clark and in that time he was flying towards Natasha. "I don't know."

Natasha looked at Chloe she's obviously the weaker of the two since the other one could have just bitch slapped Captain America for all she knew. She threw two little circular objects at Chloe but they both missed the blond landing besides her.

Chloe looked at her. "You missed?"

"No"

Chloe looked down as the machines came to life and each hit her with a bit of electricity as she fell to the floor dropping the shield.

Clark looked at her… unless it's a super powered prisoner from the phantom zone he's not fond of hitting women. But on the other hand… she hurt Chloe. Steve and Natasha rushed forward seeing the man advantage and Clark used just enough superspeed to make it look like he was just keeping up with them blocking each punch and kick. Steve threw a punch Clark moved out of the way of forcing him to hit Natasha who dropped to the floor from the gut punch.

Steve looked at her. "Sorry, my bad."

Clark wasted no time and shoulder charged Captain America with such force he bounced off a car and fell to the floor. "Stay down Cap."

Steve looked at him getting to his knees. Whoever taught Clark taught him well. Even as a super soldier… Steve knows he doesn't stand a chance. "Oh please I can do this all day." The two were cut off y the shriek of tires suddenly stopping.

Clark turned to see a trail of trucks drive up. Steve rolled his eyes seeing Rumlow the first one out.

Natasha looked at them seeing Rumlow come out with a smirk seeing the two on the floor.

Rumlow watched as the rest of his men came out. "Widow first less predictable."

Natasha flinched knowing there's not enough armor in the world to stop an attack like this.

The agents of STRIKE aimed and…

"Clark those are the guys from yesterday!"

Steve watched as Clark somehow went from right in front of him to right in front of Natasha as all the bullets aimed at her just bounced right off Clark like they were shooting at his shield.

Rumlow looked at it well that's interesting. He turned and saw another sight on the floor. The girl from yesterday.

Clark's eyes rose in a panic. If he moves to protect Chloe he won't make it back to Natasha in time this is bad.

Steve looked at Rumlow and quickly grabbed his shield and did what he always did. What he thought was best as he ran in front of Chloe and knelt down next to her with his shield in hand blocking Rumlow's shots at the reporter.

Clark saw all he needed to see and moved in a blur as Natasha disappeared. Clark ran back around and Chloe disappeared. Clark ran back one last time and grabbed Steve leaving a confused and somewhat terrified STRIKE team.

* * *

Time resumed for the three in Clark and Chloe's hotel room. Natasha wobbled over to the window and quickly threw up outside of it. "что за"

"Sorry. I didn't think the Black Widow suffered from motion sickness." Clark stated.

Steve looked at the two strangers to him fighting the knot in his stomach. "So, who wants to start talking first?"

* * *

Author Notes

Stories from the Creepy Board will work like this. When I start writing Chapter 2 I put chapter one up as the beginning of the story.

Thanks for the reviews

Wanted to see the complete helplessness of a regular badass just against something they never stood a chance against.

Up Next: Insight


	3. Made the List

Steve looked around and wow it really wasn't the dizzy spell. The hotel is really this ugly. "Interesting choice of rooms you guys have."

"Your friends chased us out of the nice place." Chloe replied. "Guess I should say former friends."

Steve nodded in agreement. "Worst part is some of those guys owed me money. Never getting that back."

Chloe looked at Steve and even after wearing the helmet. She can't tell if he's kidding or not. "Yeah, that sucks." Chloe turned to the window as Natasha walked back in color quickly returning to her face. "Welcome back."

Natasha shook it off she was just caught by surprise. That's her alibi and she's sticking with it. "I'm fine so… who are you and what gave you the idea to mess with SHIELD?"

Chloe looked at her innocently. "Well I'm Chloe Sullivan and this is Clark Kent. If I said it would you believe the voices in my head sent us here?" Steve and Natasha just stare at her. "Guess not. Look we…"

"Represent the JSA" Natasha finished for them before pointing to Clark. "He's the blur right?" Natasha smiled seeing Chloe's stunned face. "I'm sorry that was kind of mean... did you want to finish."

Chloe looked at her. "How?"

Natasha leaned against the wall with a smug smile. The joys of outrunning Waller. "Hawkman can't reform the JSA without making a few waves with the wrong people. So what brings you out here?"

Clark looked at her. Super hearing X-ray vision ultimate lie detector. "We were looking into a list."

Steve looked at him. "A list?"

Chloe nodded. "Twenty million people altogether, I don't know what this list is but I got a very bad feeling from it, it can't be good."

Natasha looked at her. So they think she's behind it. "Sorry I don't know anything about it."

Steve looked at her. "Really?"

Natasha glared at him. "I told you Rogers I only act like I know everything. This is the first I'm hearing about a list."

Chloe thought on it and opened her computer, hopefully it will still work. "Oh good, the computer's still on… social security numbers?"

Steve looked at her. "Why?"

"I want to see if you made the list." Chloe replied. "I'm 31 and Clark is 16. If you're on it there's a good chance you're in danger."

Steve shrugged he's a wanted man by every cop in America. Does it really matter if Chloe here pulls a round of identity thief at this point? He calmly just gave it to her.

Chloe typed it and in a usual couple keystrokes she's gotten used to and it came up instantly. "Holy crap!"

Steve looked at her. "What? Am I on the list?"

Chloe nodded her head in disbelief. "Yeah, this is definitely something evil. Cap you're number one. Do you know anything about this?"

Steve shook his head. Twenty million people and he's number one. "No, this is the first I'm hearing of any list."

Natasha walked over and copied Chloe's movement typing her ID number in.

Chloe looked at the result. "Wow… uhmm… well you made the list."

Natasha shook her head seeing 19,999,998. "OK well if I'm that number then Stark." She typed in Tony's and 124 came up "I either gotta save the world or stab someone get my rep up…" She quickly typed in another number and a small farm for an address came up in the 15 millions as her face lost its playful nature and showed concern. "Those are the ones I knew. I'm willing to bet the rest of the Avengers are on this too."

Chloe shook her head. "I'm more interested in what the list is then who's on it."

Clark looked at her. "How about that flash drive from the vending machines?"

Chloe took it out and went to plug it in.

Natasha looked at her. "You have ten minutes at most before SHIELD finds you."

"Actually we'll play a very unique game of pinball and make SHIELD chase down a hundred different proxy signals that won't even exist." Chloe replied. Superspeed and wifi have its perks.

Chloe plugged it in but nothing… "Uh oh" Chloe looked over the flash drive. From what she can tell there's nothing wrong with it. She looked at the computer and saw the problem. "Oh no,"

"What?" Steve asked.

Chloe pointed at Natasha. "When she zapped me the computer's proofing worked like a charm internally. She did however disable all the external connections… I can't connect the flash drive."

Natasha nodded. "Well I got an idea."

* * *

Clark sat down calmly looking at Steve. "So you have enhanced super human strength right?"

"Yeah super soldier serum peak human condition." Steve replied not seeing where this is going.

"And I'm stronger then you." Clark pointed out.

Steve looked at him. "That remains to be seen." Steve thought about that. "How did you get so strong anyway?"

"Kind of born this way." Clark replied trying to put a quick end to that line of questioning. "So... if we're so powerful how come the men folk are stuck here?"

Steve looked around in the blue family minivan they 'borrowed' to blend in while they waited in the parking lot of a nearby mall. "Well, one of the women is as tough as nuclear nails."

"And the other one is Black Widow." Clark finished as Steve let out a laugh.

"Also neither of you has a woman's touch." Natasha quipped from the inside over the headset… "Alright we're done."

Clark turned to the store. "Alright I got eyes on you two. And your buddies just showed up from the south. Hope you have a plan."

"We do." Natasha replied. "You and Steve stand outside the van."

Clark and Steve opened the doors and to their surprise Chloe and Natasha quickly pounced on them. Chloe stealing a familiar but deeper then anything before it kiss from Clark and Natasha kissing Steve as Brock stuck his head out the door looked uncomfortable at the two 'couples' before heading back in where did they go.

Steve came up first. "What?"

"Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable." Natasha replied.

Steve looked at her as she got in the van. "Not the word I'd use. Where are we going?"

"Wheaton New Jersey, you know it?" Chloe asked.

"I used to." Steve replied remembering happier times.

* * *

The four sat in the minivan for the drive to New Jersey. She has to ask she's dying to know. "How did Captain America learn how to steal a van?"

Steve smiled. "Nazi Germany."

Natasha just looked at him interested. "Mm."

Steve looked at where her feet were. "And we're borrowing. Take your feet off the dash."

Natasha gave him a quiet stare but took her feet off the dash. "Alright, I have a question for you, of which you do not have to answer. I feel like if you don't answer it though, you're kind of answering it, you know?

Steve looked at her. "What?"

Natasha smiled wondering how this would go. "Was that your first kiss since 1945?"

Steve quietly groaned from the wheel. "That bad, huh?"

Natasha turned to him. "I didn't say that."

Steve gave a stare with one eye keeping the other on the road. "Well, it kind of sounds like that's what you're saying."

Natasha looked at Steve has Sharon really not made a move. "Nobody special, though?"

Steve chuckled in disbelief. "Believe it or not, it's kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience."

Chloe thought on Cap's words and turned to Clark. "Hey, how come you never tried anything with Dinah?"

Clark's eyes shot up seeing an amused smile from Natasha in the front seat with Chloe next to him. "You're really asking me this now?"

"Why not?" Chloe replied. They're taking the scenic route to avoid setting off anything to tip their hand. "You both have very similar night lives."

Clark sighed and looked at her. "Well it could have to do with the uncomfortableness that anywhere we go could be watched by big sister... literally anywhere we were after you bugged my house."

Chloe shook her head. "If you were going for a dodge I'd go with shattered eardrums."

Clark gave an honest shrug. "I don't know. There's a lot about my past I regret. I guess I just didn't feel that way about her. And most women I'd have to lie through my teeth just to be with."

Natasha turned from the front seat. "Well, that's alright, you just make something up."

Steve shook his head in disbelief. One of the Avenger's advice is to lie through your teeth. "What, like you?"

Natasha shook her head. "I don't know. The truth is a matter of circumstances; it's not all things to all people all the time. And neither am I."

Steve looked at her. "That's a tough way to live."

Natasha looked at him."It's a good way not to die, though."

"You know, it's kind of hard to trust someone when you don't know who that someone really is." Steve countered.

Natasha looked at him. "Yeah well I can trust someone without fully trusting them. So, who do you want me to be?"

"How about a friend?" Steve asked.

Natasha laughed softly. "Well, there's a chance you might be in the wrong business, Rogers. I just wondered how much practice you had."

Steve looked at her. "I don't need practice."

Natasha looked at him with a smile."Everybody needs practice."

Steve looked at her. "It was not my first kiss since 1945."

* * *

Natasha looked at the military base she knows SHIELD's tricks so she's not making judgment call of any kind. "The files came from these coordinates."

Clark looked at the military base. It looks like it's been abandoned for the better part of fifty years at least. He looked to Steve and saw an almost euphoric smile on his face. "Is there something here we're missing?"

"No, the files came from here, and so did I." Steve replied as he walked around his familiar base with the others looking for something that might resemble a lead. "This is where I was trained."

Chloe shook her newest tablet paid in cash before things turned to crap when they put in the flash drive. "This is a dead end. Zero heat signature, zero waves, not even radio. Everything about this place is old school and every way I have is new school. Whoever wrote the file must have used a router to throw people off."

Natasha turned to Steve and saw him looking almost staring a hole through the building. "What is it?"

Steve walked over to the building the others following his lead. "Army regulations forbid storing ammunition within five hundred yards from the barracks. This building is in the wrong place." Steve opened the lock with his shield and they enter inside, when they turn on the lights they notice it's a SHIELD office.

"This is SHIELD." Natasha looked around seeing very early SHIELD

"Ancient SHIELD." Chloe quipped. She thought the JSA had basic equipment.

Steve looked at the technology. Its newer then him... but not by much. "Maybe where it started." They entered a room where they found old framed portraits of Howard Stark, Peggy and Col. Chester Phillips."

Natasha pointed at the first picture. "There's Stark's father."

Steve nodded solemnly. "Howard."

Natasha looked at the other picture. "Who's the girl?"

"Peggy Carter" Chloe replied. "My second inspirational hero after Nellie Bly."

Steve doesn't reply but lets out a smile as he turned away to walk further down the room and stopped by a massive book shelf. "If you already working in a secret office..." He pushed the books shelf and slides open to reveal an elevator behind it. "Why do you need to hide the elevator?"

* * *

They go down the elevator which takes them to a room with old looking computers.

Chloe looked at them. She wonders if these things even get Dos. "This can't be the data-point, this technology is ancient."

Clark looked at her. "Remember how my computers look. Looks can be deceiving."

Natasha notices a small USB flash drive port; she places the flash drive in it which then activates the ancient computer in the room which reads 'Initiate system?'

Natasha typed using the keyboard "Y-E-S, spells yes." Natasha smiled as the old computer starts to boot up "Shall we play a game?" She turned to Steve. "It's from a movie that…"

"Yeah, I saw it." The four suddenly heard an accented voice speaking. It was like ancient type and speak.

"Rogers, Steven. Born, 1918. Romanoff, Natalia Alianovna. Born, 1984. Sullivan, Chloe Ellen. Born, 1986"

Chloe groaned stupid computer knows her middle name.

"Kent, Clark Joseph Born… First appeared 1989 likely born 1986"

They saw an old camera moving above them as it analyzed them.

Natasha shook her head. "It's some kind of a recording."

"I am not a recording, Fräulein. I may not be the man I was when the Captain took me prisoner in 1945, but I am…" The computer screen showed an old photo of a bald man in glasses. Dr. Arnim Zola.

Clark looked at the screen. Here he thought he was the only one with anything like Brainiac. "Do you know this thing?"

Steve nodded looking at the screen. "Arnim Zola was a German scientist who worked for the Red Skull. He's been dead for years."

Even as data Zola seemingly snarled. "First correction, I am Swiss. Second, look around you. I have never been more alive. In 1972 I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body, my mind, however, that was worth saving on two hundred thousand feet of data banks. You are standing in my brain."

"How did you get here?" Steve asked.

"Invited." Zola replied in a smug tone.

Natasha looked at computer screen. "It was Operation Paperclip after World War II. SHIELD recruited German scientists with strategic values."

"They thought I could help their cause. I also helped my own."

Steve looked at the screen. "HYDRA died with the Red Skull."

Zola matched his stare. "Cut off one head, two more shall take its place."

Clark looked at the screen. "What did you do James Barnes?"

Steve turned to Clark almost in shock. What does he know about Bucky? He was so nice he didn't think Clark could have ulterior motives.

Zola remained quiet until "Accessing archive… classified. All you need to know about Sgt. Barnes is he is the new face of HYDRA."

Steve went to put his fist through the monitor but Clark held him back with relative ease.

Clark looked at the computer. "We'll see."

Chloe looked at Zola. "You said HYDRA is in SHIELD. Prove it."

"Accessing archive." The computer screen showed them old footage of Johann Schmidt/Red Skull, of the original SHIELD founders, Steve, all sources of wars and conflict. "HYDRA was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. What we did not realize, was that if you try to take that freedom, they resist. The war taught us much. Humanity needed to surrender its freedom willingly. After the war, SHIELD was founded and I was recruited. The new HYDRA grew. A beautiful parasite inside SHIELD. For seventy years HYDRA has been secretly feeding crisis, reaping war. And when history did not cooperate, history was changed."

Clark closed his fists. Chloe was right. He'd say HYDRA is back but from the sounds of it they never left.

Natasha shook her head in denial. It can't be true; she left places like HYDRA and joined SHIELD to make a difference. "That's impossible, SHIELD would have stopped you."

"Accidents will happen." The computer screen showed them HYDRA had killed Howard and Maria Stark making it look like a car accident along with the recent death of Fury. "HYDRA created a world so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once the purification process is complete, HYDRA's new world order will arise. We won, Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your Life; a zero sum." Steve suddenly smashes the computer screen in a fit of rage only for Zola to appear on another screen. "As I was saying..."

Chloe looked at the monitor. "What's on this drive?"

"Project Insight requires insight. So I wrote an algorithm." Zola replied.

"What kind of algorithm? What does it do?" Natasha asked.

"The answer to your question is fascinating. Unfortunately, you shall be too dead to hear it." The doors starts to close, Steve tried to stop it by throwing his shield in between it but he's too late. "Admit it, its better this way. We're both of us...out of time." Clark looked around and he can very easily get through the door but if the explosion is left unchecked it can do a lot of damage. Clark noticed a small opening on the ground. He simply punched through the metal door aside as he grabbed Chloe and Natasha and disappeared for a microsecond and just as the place explodes he grabbed Steve who was holding the explosions back with his shield and ran to the others escaping the building rubble just as STRIKE agents arrive to roam the area for them.

* * *

Alexander Pierce walked into the STRIKE base flanked by another man walking with him and the Winter Soldier. He was built like a wrestler with black hair and a matching black goatee. A certain coldness in his eyes from familiarity with this kind of work.

Brock Rumlow twitched his neck wondering what they have picked a fight with. That's twice now they just ran as soon as they were in trouble. All they managed to do in that mess was destroy Zola. He saw Pierce coming into his corners as he got to his feet and saluted. "Director Pierce."

Pierce looked at him. "At ease soldier. Update on the fugitives?"

"They got away." Rumlow replied.

Pierce handed him a folder at his age he's been around more then long enough to know contingencies need to be put in place. "Not surprising, meet Clark Kent and Chloe Sullivan, they're numbers 16 and 31 on Zola's algorithm."

Rumlow nodded. "Who's the new guy?"

Pierce turned to him. "He is the newest member of STRIKE Sergeant Stephen Wolf former black ops. Never promoted because he loves his job. He's essentially Hydra's greatest hunter. Anytime we needed someone tracked down he was always there. And always brought them in the condition we wanted dead or alive. And if that wasn't enough he has personal issues with Mr. Kent. As a matter of fact everything we have on the two of them came from him."

Rumlow turned to the man impressed knowing some of the people he's brought in. Hydra believes in chaos but only when they control it. Countless times they'd send in this man and he'd return carrying a future dictator's head that would simply be too unruly to control. "So what did Kent do to you?"

"Not me, he attacked my nephew, I intend to return the favor for it." Wolf replied quietly.

Rumlow nodded seeing the craziness in his eyes. "Welcome aboard."

* * *

Sam Wilson opened the door on what looked to be a good morning and sees ash and bomb covered people. Four of them actually Steve, Natasha, Clark, and Chloe. "Hey man, Clark good to see you."

"Sam" Clark replied weakly.

Steve looked at Sam uncomfortable."I'm sorry about this. We need a place to lay low."

Natasha looked at him. "Everyone we know is trying to kill us."

Sam paused a moment before replying. "Not everyone." Sam let's them enter,

Chloe heads upstairs first as Clark leans against the wall.

Steve looked at Clark. "Now that we're out of danger from the explosion. You want to tell me what you and Zola were talking about with Bucky."

Clark looked at him and looked at the floor for a moment almost begging not to be the one to tell him but knows he has to. "Bucky is the Winter Soldier." Steve's face immediately changed like he was gut checked. "I'm sorry."

Steve looked at him. "You can't know that. He wouldn't do the things Natasha told me this man has done."

"I do, after I yelled at her for getting so close to him Chloe told me ran Bucky's prints and they were a match. I'm sorry. I don't know why he does it. We kidnapped him but he never said a word." Clark replied. "After we figure out this list thing I'll help you figure it out. I promise."

Steve nodded. For now that will have to be enough. They have work to do. Like figuring out someone who doesn know about project Insight. Sadly the Winter Soldier... Bucky... whoever he is has to wait.

* * *

Author Notes

Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites

Pairings… well there are none in this story as much as maybe some teasing. It's the first in a series and because I'm still figuring them out and setting up this universe so the pairings aren't a big thing to me right now. Looking further ahead I'm trying to avoid the cliché but I keep coming back to it because the other one seems wrong because of things in the story. Might be going with the cliché. I guess a cliché really does become a cliché because it works.

Up Next: The dead and the damned


	4. Dead and Damned

Clark gently knocked on the door. Black Widow is a heavy sleeper who knew. He gently opened the door and saw Black Widow just quietly staring at the wall. She's stoic looking but it seems like she's in the middle of a thousand page monologue in her head with the looks she's also giving. "Natasha, you OK?"

Natasha just looked blankly at him. "When I first joined SHIELD, I thought it was about going straight. But I guess I just traded in the KGB for HYDRA. I thought I knew whose lies I was telling, but...I guess I can't tell the difference anymore."

Clark sat down next to her. "You got tricked it happens. Usually… not on this level of a scale, but it does happen."

Natasha looked at him. "Speaking from experience?"

Clark nodded. "I once looked at a man like he was my brother. Little did I know the whole time the guy had a twisted shrine and it was just an obsession with finding out my secrets, and taking all the things in my life. He even went Dawson's Creek on me and hired someone to break up me and my girlfriend."

"Still can't believe I can't tell the difference anymore." Natasha said still downtrodden.

Clark nodded knowing more then anyone secrets have a toll. Especially when their kept for nothing. "Well to quote Cap, maybe you're in the wrong business."

Natasha faintly smiled. "I owe you twice now…" She let that sink for a moment before adding. "I also owe you new shoes."

Clark smiled. "I was a farmer's son my whole life that doesn't even make top ten for messes that my shoes got hit with."

Natasha's smile grew wider and she asked. "If it was the other way around, and it was down to me to save your life, and you be honest with me, would you trust me to do it?"

"Yes" Clark replied not even taking a moment to think about it.

Natasha looked at him. "You're very trusting."

Clark looked at her. "I'm an optimist, also just because I wasn't there for the Chutari invasion doesn't mean I didn't watch videos of it. There was a man with a suit of armor that could very well be in the ten digit price range. A god, an archer as good as Green Arrow, a living legend, an unstoppable green rage monster that tanked an entire wave of alien fire, and then there was a red headed woman with a gun, and some very unique tazers. She was completely outclassed but she fought just as hard as everyone else to save as many as she can. She even shrugged off a god shooting at her and in the end was the one who closed the portal. That's someone you trust with your life."

Natasha looked at him now curious. "Where were you during that fight?"

Clark looked at her he really didn't want to bring up Davis not knowing how Chloe would act right now. He also doesn't want to lie to Natasha there's been enough in her life. "I was fighting the Hulk's gray inbred cousin while the rest of my friends gave the two of us a very unique Texas Funeral by burying us alive. I got away he didn't."

Natasha looked at him impressed. "So you beat someone as strong as the Hulk."

Clark shook his head. "Well I… got in a good tackle."

Natasha smiled seeing this. "He kicked your ass huh?"

Clark looked at her downtrodden. "Yeah he wasn't even trying. He bloodied my face up with one punch to the face. I couldn't even fight him so I just blindsided him with one tackle into a tunnel while my friends buried him far below the earth. When he gets out of that tunnel he'll probably be three times bigger and god knows how many times as powerful. So as I said I was busy."

Natasha nodded. How can someone be so powerful and so… nice she thinks is the word she's looking for. Even Thor has a bit of an ego as worthy of that hammer he might be. "Well, at least you had a good excuse for missing the invasion." She got to her feet. "Come on let's get breakfast."

* * *

Chloe read the newspaper and put it down in disgust. "I'm going to kill him. I'm figuring out this list, going home and killing him."

Steve walked into the kitchen. "You get a lead?"

Chloe shook her head. "Huh, oh no, no, just someone else I'm going to kill after this. I fake my death to protect him and then he exposes himself to the world. Just when I thought he couldn't get any worse he registers with the damn army."

Steve looked at her. "So how do you really feel?"

"It's a long story." Chloe replied.

Sam watched as Clark and Natasha came out. Natasha with a bit of a smile compared to last night but it quickly disappeared. "I made breakfast if you guys… eat that sort of thing."

All five sat for a meal trying to figure out just exactly what happened.

Natasha was the first to ask the obvious. "So, the question is; who in SHIELD could launch a domestic missile strike?"

"Pierce." Steve answered immediately.

Clark looked at him. "Who's that?"

"Alexander Pierce, he is the secretary to the World Security Council, who also happens to be sitting on top of the most secure building in the world." Natasha explained.

Steve turned to everyone. "But he's not working alone; Zola's algorithm was on the Lemurian Star."

"So was Jasper Sitwell." Natasha replied seeing a much easier target.

Chloe groaned. She was supposed to be playing dead during all this. "So, the real question is… how do the most wanted people in Washington kidnap a SHIELD officer in broad daylight?"

Sam walked over to the group with a file in hand. "The answer is... you don't." Sam dropped a file in front of Steve.

Steve opened it curiously. "What's this?"

"Call it a resume." Sam offered.

Natasha picked up a photo of Sam with his team. "Is this Bakhmala? The Khalid Khandil mission, that was you." She turned to Steve. "You didn't say he was a para-rescue."

Steve looked at the photo of Sam with his colleague. He can't help but think back to Bucky. "Is this Riley?"

"Yeah." Sam replied.

"I heard they couldn't bring in the choppers because of the RPGs. What did you use, a stealth chute?" Natasha asked.

Sam shook his head. "No. These." He handed Steve the file.

Steve opened it and read it. "I thought you said you're a pilot."

"I never said a pilot." Sam countered.

Natasha looked and saw color drain from Clark and Chloe as Chloe pointed to a date in the file. "Something wrong?"

Chloe sighed maybe she can just keep faking her death. Damn government. "Clark someone's gotta tell him."

Clark nodded in agreement. "He's gonna want to hit someone till they're a pile of goop for this."

Chloe gulped in agreement with the statement. "Yeah, but we still gotta tell him… not it."

"Not fair!" Clark immediately countered. "We'll make Green Arrow do it."

"Good Idea!" Chloe replied.

Steve looked at the two. "Something wrong?"

"Yeah but nothing you can do to help." Chloe replied opening the front page.

Natasha read it. "Weapon plan thought up by an Amanda Waller in 1972 Stark technologies made them under Howard's eyes when Waller gave him the prototypes. What's so bad about this?"

"They belonged to someone we heard of." Chloe replied. "Someone with a very much alive husband."

Natasha frowned. "And you're both scared of him. That's kind of sad given what we've been up against."

Chloe looked at Natasha. "He'd kick Green Arrow's ass for a Klondike bar. What's he going to do with proper motivation to get her wings back? I just thought they were on display."

Clark shook his head. "Those are fake, but for a memorial for her they work. It's a problem for us and for later."

Steve turned to the problem at hand and focused on Sam. "I can't ask you to do this, Sam. You got out for a good reason."

Sam looked at him in disbelief. "Dude, Captain America needs my help. There's no better reason to get back in."

Where can we get our hands on one of these things? "Natasha asked.

Sam got to his feet and shook his head there is the problem he stuck his head in the fridge for a drink . "The last one is at Fort Meade." Clark disappeared in a blur as Sam continued not looking at them. "Behind three guarded gates and a twelve-inch steel…" Sam turned around, got up from the fridge, and jumped back seeing his old suit on the kitchen table.

Steve looked at the smiles on Clark and Chloe. "Shouldn't be a problem."

* * *

Clark Chloe, Steve, and Natasha watched on from the roof seeing Sitwell with a senator.

Chloe looked at Clark's face drop. "What's he saying?" Clark turned and glared angrily at Chloe with Steve and Natasha looking at her open mouthed. "I-I mean not that you can you're just really good at reading lips… and… I'm sorry it's just getting hard to remember who knows and who doesn't anymore."

Clark nodded. "Figuring out that list is more important Chloe. Everyone we love is on it… and I should have voted for the other guy and not spite Stark."

Natasha looked at him. "What's Senator Stern talking about doing?"

"A journalist Chloe's age" Clark replied.

Chloe shook her head. "Pig!"

Clark rolled his eyes. "Now he's saying Hail Hydra, really should have voted for the other guy."

* * *

Before long Sam has Sitwell on the phone and is able to get him away with the threat of Chloe with a laser pointer. He takes him up to the others.

Steve was the first one to hit him knocking the man to the floor. "Tell me about Zola's algorithm."

"Never heard of it." Sitwell replied.

Steve shouted. "What were you doing on the Lemurian Star?"

Sitwell looked at him unflinching. "I was throwing up, I get seasick." Steve forced Sitwell to the edge of the rooftop, Sitwell just smiled. "Please, it's not your style."

Steve looked at the man. "You're right. It's not…. It's hers." Steve steps aside and Natasha kicks Sitwell off the roof, he plummets down screaming."

Natasha turned to Chloe. "So, are you seeing someone because…"

Steve turned to her flustered. "Nat!"

Natasha ignored him and focused on Chloe. "Just saying it's an option."

Chloe put her hand up. "I'm not sure what my dating life is but not on the market right now."

Natasha frowned and turned to Steve. "Oh, wait. What about that girl from accounting, Laura...?"

"Lillian." Steve corrected her. "Lip piercing, right?"

Natasha nodded. "Yeah, she's cute."

Steve just looked at her. "Yeah, I'm not ready for that."

The conversation stopped when Sam, in a suit that combines jet packs with wings, flew up holding Sitwell and threw him down on the roof at Clark's feet. Steve and Natasha walk towards Sitwell; he holds his hand up in fear.

Sitwell desperately shouted. "Zola's algorithm is a program...for choosing Insight's targets!"

"What targets?" Steve asked.

"You! , A TV anchor in Cairo, the Under Secretary of Defense, a high school valedictorian in Iowa city. Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to HYDRA! Now, or in the future." Sitwell informed him.

Steve looked at him. "The Future? How could it know?"

Sitwell laughed. "How could it not? The 21st century is a digital book. Zola taught HYDRA how to read it." Steve and Natasha look at him in confusion as Sitwell turned to Clark knowing the first 50. . "A teenage boy with way too many rescues in the paper the next Captain America in the making." He turned to Chloe. "Someone who kept reappearing and disappearing on DDS and Checkmate's radar. Your bank records, medical histories, voting patterns, e-mails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores. Zola's algorithm evaluates peoples' past to predict their future."

"And what then?" Steve asked.

Sitwell looked green in the face. "Oh, my God. Pierce is gonna kill me."

Steve shouted at him. "What then?!"

Sitwell looked at him. "Then the Insight Helicarriers scratch people off the list. A few millions at a time."

Clark held his hands to his head. He took a couple steps back letting those words sink in.

Chloe looked at him. "Clark, we still have time to stop this."

Clark nodded. "We have to."

Natasha looked at him knowing that look. He's keeping something. "Is there something you want to tell us?"

Clark looked around and looked at Sitwell and tapped the man on the head knocking him out cold. "What do you know about last May?"

Natasha looked at him confused. "Alien invasion, did a lot of damage and they all just disappeared."

Steve nodded with what he remembered until he was kidnapped. "They were taking over military couldn't do anything to even get them to sweat. All together I hurt a whopping one of them by pointing his eye fire back at him. Why are you asking about them?"

Clark just fired his heat vision at the floor as Sam backed up, Natasha did nothing and Steve put Chloe behind him.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Steve, who do you think stopped them?"

Steve thought it through and nodded in somewhat embarrassment. After all the super soldier serum that made him also made the Red Skull. He should have acted better. "Sorry, it's just instinct."

Clark nodded. "It's fine. I was raised on earth by two very good people on an isolated farm so I could grow into my powers. If I was raised on my home world I probably would have joined Zod. I needed you to see what I was to make sure you knew I wasn't bluffing."

Natasha nodded in understanding he's the same kind of species but nothing like the others given how many times he's saved them. "What else is there to worry about other then insight?"

Clark looked at them. "Most of the army, they weren't all bad, they were just misguided from Zod. My plan was to take them to an empty world. A new planet so our people could live again. The army realized what Zod had done and turned on him. We activated the portal to take us to the new world but Zod had other ideas. I fought him and he stabbed me with a knife. Since I was wounded I didn't get taken into the portal I got left behind."

Steve looked at the man in front of him. It's like him with black hair. "OK, it's nice to know why they didn't take over." He let out a breath thinking about it. "The whole planet, Clark, I just want to say thank you, but what does this have to do with anything?"

Clark smiled hearing a thank you from Captain America of all people but frowned just remembering this thing leaves a bad taste in his mouth. "Because while I was sending Zod and the others away something else came out, something primal I don't know how to describe it. My cousin called it the Darkness. It feeds off pretty much anything negative, the seven deadly sins, depression, despair, pretty much anything that's negative it feeds off it and corrupts people to it."

Chloe looked at Clark remembering who he was the brood king. "Dear god this thing swallowed you whole didn't it?"

Clark nodded remembering how pathetic he was against it. "Yeah it tried to take control of me take over but Kara stopped it. I had to leave Smallville because I was more dangerous there then helpful." Clark took a breath. "If 20 million people suddenly die horrible violent deaths die the remaining 7 billion will fall to this thing, I don't know what its endgame is but it can't be good."

Steve nodded taking that all in there's always something bigger. Even Loki has a boss according to Thor. "Then let's stop insight and focus on this darkness later."

* * *

Sitwell regained consciousness in the car looking around at everyone. "What I miss?"

Chloe looked at him. "We're using you to bypass security so we can destroy insight's helicarriers."

Sitwell looked at them all like they were possessed. "What?! Are you crazy? That is a terrible, terrible id..." the rest was cut off by a loud crash as metal pierced through the roof.

Chloe backed up into Clark panicked seeing the blade of a sword sticking out of Sitwell's head as it went back up. "Jesus!" '

Clark moved in superspeed quickly throwing Chloe off right before the sword went through her head and grabbing the sword as the metal cut his hands. Clark groaned through the pain but pushed the sword back up forcing the hilt to connect with the user's head knocking him down.

Sam looked back. "What the hell was that!"

Clark quickly ripped his sleeves using them as quick patches for is hands. What the hell did he get hit with. "I'm going to go find out."

Clark opened the door and in superspeed moved to the roof trying to find the swordsman.

"I bet you're wondering how I got past your hearing."

Clark looked around trying how can anyone stay this hidden to him this close. "Among other things. How did you hurt me?"

"My blades were forged in the ashes of your home kryptonian."

Clark would have rolled his eyes if he didn't need them now. What else can kryptonite do? He turned behind him in time to see Wolf moving in slow motion sword drawn. Clark put his palm out and hit him in the chest with it causing Wolf to backtrack into the air but back flipped onto an 18 wheeler's trailer.

"You're not human." Clark replied.

Wolf smiled. "Interesting insult coming from you Kal El."

Clark jumped onto the eighteen wheeler and narrowly avoided the swing of Wolf's sword as soon as Clark landed Wolf jumped off the trailer and disappeared into the grasslands on the side of the road. Great the hiding game again. How can someone be so good they can hide from him?

* * *

Natasha watched as the window broke open from the top as a metallic hand grabbed her.

"Bucky no!"

The Winter Soldier came to a complete stop and looked at Steve frozen almost a tilt of his head behind his mask as he let Natasha go for a second but focused back on Natasha as Chloe dove forward. Bucky was set to pull her out again but Chloe reached forward first and hit the brake handle making the Winter Soldier crash into the street as another car smashes into the trio's car and pushes them along, the Winter Soldier jumps back onto their car, smashes through the windscreen and pulls out the steering wheel."

"Shit!" Sam shouted as Natasha quickly opened fire but the Winter Soldier jumped onto the vehicle behind them, as the group's car is being pulled off the road Steve holds on to the car door.

* * *

Clark turned to the group in trouble as he readied heat vision.

"Foolish!"

Clark turned around and in only a second got his hand up to take the dagger that would have went into his head only went into his left hand as he shouted in pain. He looked at the name tag. "Who are you no US Agent is this good."

Wolf looked at him. "I'm a very hurt Uncle." Wolf kneed Clark in the gut hard enough for the kryptonian to feel it and just threw him off the trailer and at the overpass as Clark bounced off the concrete and slammed onto the highway floor."

Clark got up much slower then he thought. This guy's as strong as he is!

Wolf jumped down behind him and kicked Clark sending him crashing and tumbling down the road. Wolf smiled seeing Clark do a header through a black dodger's front window as the car came to a halt.

Clark looked at the terrified driver. "Thanks for stopping… get out!" Clark got to his feet and pulled the dagger out of his hand as the driver fled. He looked around but no sign of Wolf. Clark wasted no time and just bought his arm down in what can only be described as the chop from hell that spilt half the car in two. He put a hand on each side of the car pulled creating very unique boxing gloves.

Clark stopped looking and just closed his eyes and regained his focus. Jor El taught him this he didn't think he would actually ever need it just focus no hearing. Clark stuck his hand up completely as Wolf's sword got stuck in the car. Clark quickly swung with his free hand as the other half of the car practically shattered to pieces over Wolf's head as the man was knocked back into the wall hard.

Wolf looked at Clark almost in shock. "How… how did you see my attack coming?"

"Torquasm- Rao You'd be amazed at what it does for you." Clark replied.

Wolf growled at him almost gnashing teeth. "Insolent little brat, I am Steppenwolf! Uncle to Darkseid lord of Apokalips I won't be defeated by someone like you."

Clark looked at him. "Darkseid, he's what this darkness is. Isn't it."

Steppenwolf nodded. "Even if it was just his spirit we were able to free from the Source wall. You were the one released him onto your world. For that we are most grateful. You had a chance to be his glorious vessel and you rejected it. I'll collect your head!"

Steppenwolf swung again and Clark got the half of car up to block the blow eyes still focused and booted Steppenwolf in the gut sending him through the trailer of a truck coming out the other side to the floor.

* * *

Chloe wasted little time opening the backseats to the trunk and getting her bow and quiver out she quickly grabbed onto Steve's back as he, Sam, and Natasha huddled around the car door.

"Hang on!" Steve shouted as he broke open the door, holding onto Natasha and Sam, they slide on the car door through the streets.

Chloe quickly nocked an arrow from Steve's back and fired it at the incoming Winter Soldier which turned into a smoke bomb blinding him.

Natasha smiled impressed. "Oliver teach you that?"

"Yes, and I'm going to use it on him for going public later." Chloe replied.

When the smoke cleared the Winter Soldier was joined by HYDRA agents and they start shooting at them, the four scattered and ran off in different directions with the Winter Soldier shooting at Natasha but she manages to shoot him in his eye goggle mask and ran off before he could retaliate.

The Winter Soldier spoke in a foreign language before breaking off from the Hydra group to focus on Natasha.

Steve looked to Natasha and saw the Winter Soldier after her.

Sam turned to him. "Go, I got this!"

Steve looked at him. He didn't see a Hydra man behind him till an arrow whizzed passed him and entered the man's shoulder causing him to fall and twitch on the floor from the tazer attached to the arrowhead. He turned around to see Chloe.

"We got this go!" Chloe ordered.

* * *

The Winter Soldier focused hearing Natasha's voice. The soldier simply threw a grenade at the voice and waited for the explosion that followed. The soldier went to look but saw nothing but the remains of a recording device as the real Natasha jumped on his back trying to kill him with a garrote. The winter Soldier got her off and pushed her away so Natasha bolted. The Winter Soldier giving chase.

The soldier fires some shots into the crowd. One hitting Natasha in the shoulder. She fell to the floor and held her arm looking up to see the Winter Soldier's gun. Steve quickly jumped in and attacked him saving Natasha.

Steve struck fast taking away the winter soldier's rifle. This can't be him. Bucky would never do anything like this. The soldier just as quickly took out a sidearm and Steve just as easily knocked that one away as the Winter Soldier kept attacking getting the shield away from Steve. The two World War 2 veterans fought for control of the shield until Steve got the upper hand with a German suplex and quickly pulled the shield free and clubbed the Winter Soldier with it knocking his mask off.

Steve looked at the unmasked soldier and can't deny it anymore. Clark was right as a good deal of fight left him. "Oh god Bucky that really is you."

The winter Soldier looked at him gun in hand. "Who the hell is Bucky?" The soldier went to shoot when Sam flew in on his wings and knocked him away to protect Steve, the winter Soldier got to his feet and quickly stuck his arm up to block the incoming arrow. He blocked it with his metal arm but as soon as the arrow hit metal it exploded knocking the soldier down. The Winter soldier got to his feet and barely had enough time to dodge and get some protection as a grenade impacted impacted and blew up the car behind him courtesy of Natasha. During the smoke of the resulting explosion the cops quickly pulled up backed up by HYDRA forces led by Rumlow as they put their hands up.

Clark took a calming breath never pushing himself so far… even against Zod on the roof. Steppenwolf kept swinging and Clark seemed to keep dodging by the skin of his teeth.

Steppenwolf growled in frustration as he took a breath to calm himself. His anger blinded him but he sees it now. Steppenwolf went to impale Clark on his sword. The kryptonian simply used both hands and grabbed the blade while Steppenwolf simply let go of the blade as Clark stumbled back and tossed the sword away. Steppenwolf took quick advantage pulling out two knives. He jammed the first one into Clark's right knee.

Clark fell to one knee and was knocked right out of the state he was in as Steppenwolf kicked the other one out from under him and quickly jammed his other blade into Clark's left knee.

Steppenwolf smiled. "You endured this fight by being faster then let's see how you do without it."

Steppenwolf tackled Clark at the wall and kept him pinned there. Steppenwolf threw punch after punch and while Clark could block some of them a flightless no legged kryptonian gets nowhere in an asskicking contest.

Steppenwolf threw two more punches and a headbutt knocking Clark down. Steppenwolf quickly took a glowing green dagger and stuck it in Clark's shoulder. "Welcome back Kal El."

* * *

Rumlow looked at each of his four hostages trying to decide who to shoot first he'd make it a clean sweep but too many witnesses before Insight.

Steve looked at Bucky just saw an empty emotionless face. How long has he been stuck like that?

"Oh no."

Steve turned to Chloe's way hearing those words as he saw Clark dragged back to the others three knives one in each leg and one in the shoulder. So he's not the only one who got stabbed.

Steppenwolf threw him into the truck. "Don't kill this one. There are plans for him."

Sam looked around Clark had three blades in him but barely flinched at them. He was bleeding but it would be a long time before any damage was done. Steve and Chloe seemed to be doing fine. His main concern was the Russian woman bleeding from the shoulder. "We need to get a doctor here. We don't put pressure on that wound she's gonna bleed out here in the truck."

Suddenly one of the guards pulls out an electric rod and neutralizes the other guard and knocks him out, the guard is revealed to be a black haired Maria Hill as she takes off her helmet. Steve and Natasha smile in relief as Clark and Chloe back up in a bit of fear.

Maria took a breath of relief. "That thing was squeezing my brain." Sam looks at her in confusion; to Steve. "Who's this guy?" She looks at the other two newbies and looked at them confused. "And what's your problem?"

Clark looked at her. Well at least she didn't see him that night. "You tried to light Lex Luthor on fire."

Maria's face drained of color but not for the reasons Clark thought. "Huh, I guess I did get my new face from the criminal database." She turned to Natasha. "Thanks for not telling Barton."

Natasha nodded holding her arm. "Anytime."

* * *

Rumlow's crews stop their vehicles and get out. "Four holes. Start digging." They go over to the van holding their hostages and as they opened the door they found it empty with one of the guards left unconscious and a massive burnt whole on the car floor.

* * *

Author notes

Thanks for the reviews

Yes Cobie something showed up on Smallville it's explained move on.

Chloe is coming off a little like a mary sue apparently. There is a reason it's just as said before this is the start of a series.

Looking back at it now years later to calm down there's a common difference between Clark vs Davis and Clark vs Doomsday. Clark vs Davis was normal as two kryptonians can be. And Clark vs Doomsday was although I damn sure didn't like it as a season finale it was what the fight it needed to be at the time. Clark wasn't at his full potential at the time so naturally every time Clark fought the pure Doomsday Clark easily and effortlessly got his ass handed to him on a silver platter. Clark knew the fight wasn't going to end well his response was to bury Doomsday before the fight can even get started and in that time Clark still got wrecked. Clark's actions of containing Doomsday will result in a Doomsday that can't die from heat, lava, and suffocation coming back with god knows what when that awful day comes when Doomsday kills Superman. But on the bad side where they messed up if you were going to have Doomsday vs Clark as a season finale after an entire season build to it. It should have been as Superman.


	5. The Price

Clark bit his lip as the dagger was pulled out of his shoulder. "OK ow."

Chloe looked at him. "Don't be a baby." She quickly pulled out the other two and just threw the knives to the floor.

Steve watched as Chloe helped Clark walk for about two seconds before he started walking on his own again. "Does anything slow you down?"

Clark shook his head. "Few and far between. Shouldn't we get Natasha taken care of?"

"She'll want to see him first." Maria replied not paying attention to Clark.

Maria led them to an underground hospital with a very familiar face on the stretcher showing a bandage for the gunshot that nearly killed him.

Natasha smiled seeing Nick Fury alive and well.

Fury looked at the group and the odds of doing this has certainly gone up. "It's about damn time."

* * *

Later Natasha is sitting down as they patch her up and Fury describes his run in with the Winter Soldier. "Lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver, and one hell of a headache."

"Don't forget your collapsed lung." The doctor pointed out not taking his eyes off Natasha's wound.

"Oh, let's not forget that. Otherwise, I'm good." Fury quipped.

Natasha looked at him uneasy. "They cut you open, your heart stopped."

Fury nodded. "Tetrodotoxin B. Slows the pulse to one beat a minute. Banner developed it for stress. Didn't work so great for him, but we found a use for it."

Steve looked at him in disbelief another round of SHIELD secrets. "Why all the secrecy? Why not just tell us?"

Maria shook her head. "Any attempt on the director's life had to look successful."

"Can't kill you if you're already dead. Besides, I wasn't sure who to trust." Fury explained as Natasha looked away. "So who are the newbies?"

Natasha looked at the two. "Clark Kent, Chloe Sullivan meet Nick Fury head of SHIELD.

The three shook hands before leaving Fury to recover.

* * *

Nick Fury looked at an old photo of what he considered an old friend in Pierce. "This man declined the Nobel Peace Prize. He said, 'Peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility.' See, its stuff like this that gives me trust issues."

"We have to stop the launch." Natasha replied knowing they will not wait much longer to make a move.

Fury shook his head. "I don't think the Council's accepting my calls anymore." Fury opened a case containing three chips.

Chloe took a breath of relief. She figured this would be on her this is a welcome change. "You have no idea how much of a relief it is to not have to make them this time."

Sam looked at them. "What's that?"

Maria looked at the group. "Once the Helicarriers reach three thousand feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites becoming fully weaponized."

Fury nodded. "We need to breach those carriers and replace their targeting blades with our own."

Clark looked at them. "What if I just slammed one of the three into the ocean?"

"One or… can you actually do that?" Maria asked only to see Clark nod his head. Once again Steve meets the weirdest people. "Well, one or two won't cut it. We need to link all three carriers for this to work, because if even one of those ships remains operational a whole lot of people are gonna die."

Fury looked on somberly. "We have to assume everyone aboard those carriers is HYDRA. We need to get pass them, insert the server blades, and maybe, just maybe, we can salvage what's left..."

Steve looked at him upset. "We're not salvaging anything. We're not just taking down the carriers, Nick, we're taking down SHIELD."

"SHIELD had nothing to do with it." Fury countered.

Steve glared at the one eyed man. "You gave me this mission, this is how it ends. SHIELD's been compromised, you've said so yourself. HYDRA was right under your nose and nobody noticed."

Fury looked around. "Why do you think we're meeting in this cave? I noticed."

Steve looked ready to fight. For Howard, Bucky, and god knows how many others. "And how many paid the price before you did?"

Nick looked at Steve calmly. "Look, I didn't know about Barnes."

"Even if you have, would you have told me?" Steve asked. "Or would you have compartmentalized that too? SHIELD, HYDRA, it all goes."

Maria nodded. "He's right."

Fury looked at Clark then Chloe.

Clark shook his head. "Don't look at me. From what I can tell SHIELD is just another Checkmate at this point."

Chloe nodded in agreement. "Can't rebuild on a damaged foundation. It will just start all over again."

Fury looks at Sam and Natasha. He can still tie.

Sam shook his head. "Don't look at me. I do what he does, just slower."

Fury took a breath. "Well... Looks like you're giving the orders now, Captain."

Chloe nodded seeing that scene. She still has one last thing to do before this fight. She always felt it was long overdue and the helmet proved her right.

* * *

Steve stayed outside on a bridge collecting his head getting ready to do this yet again. He noticed Clark coming out looking lost. "You got a problem with what we're doing."

Clark looked at him and shook his head. "No it's a good plan. But I'm pretty sure Steppenwolf will be at the carriers waiting for us. And even if we get past him we'll probably have to deal with Darkseid too."

"You know you're the last person I ever thought would just accept defeat." Steve replied.

Clark shrugged. "Well that doesn't mean I'm not going to fight it just… how do you keep doing it?" Steve looked at him confused. "Your life from World War 2 is over. I'm assuming all your friends except Bucky are gone. You sacrificed your entire life for the world and you still kept fighting even after that."

Steve looked at him. "This darkness really got in your head huh?"

Clark nodded. "All he had to do was push the right buttons and I caved easily. Also its name is Darkseid. Steppenwolf told me, don't think he expected us to get free again."

Steve nodded nice to have a name with whatever it is he'll likely be fighting against soon. "Good to have a name. So what's this darkness you have in you that lets him get to you?"

Clark shrugged. "I honestly have no idea. Supposedly there's darkness in me but I don't know what. But if they were taking me alive I'd guess it's still there."

"It's your past." Clark and Steve turn around to see Chloe walking up with Sam and Natasha behind her.

Clark looked at Chloe confused. "What do you mean my darkness is my past?"

Chloe shook her head. "You know looking back Oliver, your mother, and I really should have had this talk with you years ago."

Clark looked at her. "Is this you or the helmet talking?"

"Me" Chloe replied easily enough. "Your greatest weakness is your past. I know that because I've been there with you since eighth grade. Like your father's death Lex had no problem exploiting that one after he killed Lionel."

Clark looked at her. "Don't go there Chloe."

Natasha looked at him and in two seconds she knew how this darkness beat him. "I think Chloe's right."

Clark shook his head. He really wanted to have this conversation in front of three other people. "I got my own father killed."

"And that's where it started." Chloe replied holding her ground. "When you started to blame yourself that's your darkness."

Clark looked at her. "I had a hand in it Chloe you know that."

"How?" Chloe asked. "Did you crush his heart till it couldn't take another beat?"

"I turned back time." Clark pointed out. "I had a hand in it he was protecting me."

Chloe looked at him angry desperate to flip the switch. "No! Jonathan Kent chose how to live his life. Whether it happened that day or any other day, Jonathan set his own destiny in motion, you know that. You just won't let yourself believe it."

Clark shook his head. "He didn't have a choice. He's my father; of course he'd sacrifice anything to protect me."

Chloe looked at him. "We always have a choice, Clark. Your father didn't have to care for you the way he did, and still he made that choice everyday he was with you. He chose to be your protector. Just as you've chosen to be the Earth's protector. Nobody forced that on you as hard as Jor El tried, yet you've embraced it nobody made that choice for you. We all choose our own fate."

Steve nodded in agreement just listening to the two talk to each other seeing if he had any advice to offer. "She's right Clark. At the end of the day it comes down to choice. Do I wish I could have saved Bucky of course but at the end of the day it was his choice to enlist. It was his choice to join the commandos. Each decision we make is our choice."

Clark nodded in understanding but turned to Chloe. "You really think my past is my darkness?"

"Yes" Chloe replied. "It's why Lois left."

Clark shook his head. "She left for a job with Perry White."

Chloe shook her head. "Lois knew Clark."

"What?" Clark asked.

Chloe looked at him with a small smile knowing how strong her cousin is. "Lois knew." She repeated.

Clark looked at Chloe concerned. "Lois told you."

Chloe shook her head. "The helmet showed me. She knew but due to your past with Lana you pushed her away in what you believed was best for her. So with you pushing her away she left. Nice job protecting her."

Clark frowned letting that sink in. He had this nice future with Lois the helmet showed him it. Guess he really does have the power to change destiny.

Steve frowned he never would have thought he'd find something in common. From the sound of it he's just as susceptible to this darkness as Clark is.

Chloe took a breath. "Look I'm not trying to be mean here Clark. Really I'm not. It's just you have a great future in front of you but you don't see it because you're so nervous about the mistakes you've made in the past. Forgive yourself and move on or the darkness will find you again."

Steve looked at the blond impressed by her words. "She's right Clark. A hero is made in the moment, not from questioning the past or fearing what's to come."

Clark looked at them for a moment his thoughts racing a mile a minute. "I have to go. I'll be back when it's time to attack the helicarriers."

Sam watched Clark just up and disappear. "Should we go after him?"

Natasha looked at Sam confused. He couldn't have just said that. "How?"

Chloe shook her head. "He'll be here when we need him."

* * *

Clark ran in a blur moving from Washington DC to the all too familiar green of Smallville. He came to a stop at an all to familiar cemetery seeing the tombstone of Jonathan Kent. His dad tried to tell him years ago. In heaven and he still ignored the message. He guesses it was his way of hanging onto him.

Clark took a defeated breath as he realized what he has to do. "You were right dad; I never stopped blaming myself for what happened to you. It was a way not to have to let go. It's exactly what I have to do to move on, getting rid of the darkness of my past I've been carrying around. To be there for the people who need me now. I seem to hold onto Smallville. I will, I won't ever forget; 'Cause you'll be with me no matter where I go. I have to say the one thing I never could." Clark grabbed a piece of grass on the ground and lifts it. He took off his dad's old watch looking over it one last time before putting it in the ground. Goodbye dad. I promise to be the man you know I could be."

* * *

Clark ran to the watchtower one last thing before he goes. He ran in and saw no one. "Hello… Kara… Oliver?"

Clark smiled seeing someone running this way with red hair. His eyes widened when he realized it wasn't his mother. What the hell is he going to do now? "Tess?"

Tess smiled in relief. Just in time to save the day as always. "Clark, you're back. Thank god!"

Clark looked at her concerned. "What's going on?"

Tess shook her head. "Clark you have to come with me right now."

Clark stared at her for a moment. "Why are you here Tess?"

Tess looked at him and remembered. "Oh right, you don't know."

Clark looked at her. "Know what?"

Tess flinched nervously. What's he going to do here? "Well, Oliver brought me in to fill in for Chloe."

Clark looked at her a bit dazed. "Oliver brought you in?"

"Dinah convinced him to do it." Tess replied. "Now you gotta get out of here before the registration army shows up until we can find the others."

Clark shook his head and went up to the second floor in the Watchtower pulling a trap door. "Tess, I can't stay long. I gotta go."

Tess watched him grab a very small thing from the floor. "Clark, you can't leave right now. Carter is dead and the rest of the league is missing I don't know where they are or what to do. Clark!"

Clark nodded. Chloe said they'd be in trouble but right now if he doesn't go millions will die. They all would make the same decision right now. "I heard you Tess, and I want to help. But if I don't go right now. 20 million other people will die. I have to go. I promise I will find them when this is over."

Tess looked at him disgusted. What the hell is he fighting? "Twenty million that's Jesus."

Clark just disappeared in a blur Tess knows already no point in fighting his chouce as he ran back to his home one last time.

* * *

Clark ran to the farm in relief seeing the woman at home as he entered the barn, there's the redhead. "Mom!"

Martha smiled seeing him and ran up and hugged him with all she had. "Clark, thank god, I figured you were with the others at Carter's funeral."

Clark shook his head. "No I've been with Chloe in Washington DC this whole time."

Martha looked at him. "Something you want to tell me?"

Clark looked at her as they went upstairs and he started to explain everything, Insight Darkseid, everything. "Chloe says I have a darkness about my past."

Martha nodded. "In a way she's right."

Clark shook his head. "Between you and me. I think she's right but at the same time… it's you and Dad and everyone that I care about that makes this world worth saving."

Martha looked at him. "But you're worried aren't you? You're scared you're going to fail."

Clark nodded. "Darkseid knows my weaknesses. He knows everything. I'm not sure I can stop him."

Martha shook her head. "Clark, Darkseid and Jor El, they never saw the man who's standing before me now. The man who dove headfirst when there was trouble. Clark Kent, as much as your father and I tried to protect you from your origins, tried to prepare you to face any challenge... I'm sorry, son, but our guidance just isn't enough anymore. You're gonna have to let Jor-El guide you from here on out.

Clark shook his head. "I doubt that. We've turned our backs on each other."

Martha let out a small laugh at the bluntness in that statement. "It doesn't matter what star you come from sons and fathers fight. Even you and Jonathan had words, he'll come around. Don't doubt yourself, Clark. This has been coming for a long time. Before you arrived... we wanted a child so badly. The day you found us in that field, you were the miracle we prayed for. Now the world needs that same miracle."

Clark nodded. "Yeah but I can't do that as Clark Kent can I?"

Martha shook her head. "Probably not"

Clark nodded Clark is who he is. This is what he can do. Clark just put his fist through the floor and to Martha's surprise pulled up a piece of clothing that he quickly unwrapped. "I was keeping this at the fortress but then Jor El wanted nothing to do with me."

Martha smiled recognizing her own handy work. "I was wondering if you were ever going to wear that."

Clark nodded and moved in a blur fully dressed. "Good thing it's skin tight... just one thing though." He held up the one piece of costume he did not agree with. "Think you can make an alternative to this." Clark looked at his back. "Seeing it now the cape's not that bad. It's going to get annihilated in the first gun fight though."

Martha shook her head. "Not that one. Your dad and I had different priorities when your ship started closing. He grabbed the heart to your ship. I grabbed the baby blanket you traveled to earth in. I thought it would be nice for to have.

Clark smiled hearing that. Kryptonian fabric, if everything Jor El taught him about his aura is true that will protect the suit. And kryptonian clothing under a yellow sun should stand up to anything HYDRA can throw at him.

Martha smiled grabbing the red underwear probably not her brightest move. "I think I can work around this. Besides it gives me something to do until you get back."

Clark nodded. "You know you're on that list right?"

"I have faith in you Clark and I'm not hiding." Martha assured him. "It's time."

Clark nodded and disappeared in a blur knowing what's coming if Darkseid gets his way. It's now or never.

* * *

Chloe typed in some of the final code for Maria. Should be a hell of a light show she smiled until the wind picked up around. "Clark! A little warning would be…" She took a moment to look at him in the suit. "Well, it's about time you put that thing on."

Clark looked at her dryly. "Ha ha."

Steve and Sam came out dressed for a fight. Sam looked at him. well that's an interesting look. "Clark, interesting choice of costume."

Clark shrugged. "Draw more attention to myself and get the bullets away from you and Steve somewhat." Clark looked at Steve and smiled seeing the old World War 2 costume. "Are you borrowing that too?"

"Technically it's mine." Steve offered. "Also those propellers can suck up that cape so be careful of that."

Chloe looked at him. "Yeah god forbid the motors gets torn to bits trying to chop him up."

Clark looked around. "Where's Natasha?'

"Already went ahead. Chloe is flying in with Fury. And the three of us have to get the chip thingys on board." Steve replied.

Clark just took his blade for one of the carriers and walked with Steve and Sam.

* * *

Pierce smiled closing the doors in almost no time he'll have the world he wants. He looked at the other members of the world Security Council knowing its only minutes away. He poured a couple glasses and handed them out to toast the new world. "I know the road here hasn't exactly been smooth, and some of you would have gladly kicked me out of the car along the way. Finally we're here, and the world should be grateful."

When they started to drink the loudspeaker let out a loud hiss cutting everyone off as they came to life all over the area with a single voice anyone in SHIELD would recognize as Captain America.

"Attention, all SHIELD agents. This is Steve Rogers. You've heard a lot about me over the last few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time you know the truth. SHIELD is not what we thought it was. It's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader." The council looked over to Pierce and his smug look told them everything they needed to know. "The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want: absolute control. They shot Nick Fury and it won't end there. If you launch those Helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way, unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high, it always has been, and it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not."

Sam looked at him baffled at how good of a speech Steve just gave. "Did you write that down first, or was it off the top of your head?"

Clark looked at them. He's not even from this planet and he feels heroic and patriotic listening to that. Clark looked up a couple minutes later and saw the carriers going to the sky. "Let's go, I'll take the first one."

Sam looked at him. "I'm pretty sure you're going to need a little help to get up…" Sam watched as Clark just jumped into the air like a missile and grabbed onto the back of the helicarrier with such force he actually pulled it back down into the ocean leaving them dumbfounded by the wave the sudden impact it created before flying back up with the others. "Remind me to never piss that guy off or owe him money."

Steve silently nodded. "Yeah, come on. One way or another, this probably won't last long."

* * *

Author Notes

Thanks for the reviews

Up Next: Either second to last or the last chapter.


	6. Rage Against the Dying of the Light

Sam landed with Steve on the second carrier. "So, how do we tell the good guys from the bad?"

"If they're trying to kill you they're bad." Steve replied as Sam took off for the sky.

* * *

Across on the first helicarrier you can almost see the cartoon art of HYDRA goons being thrown through the air.

Clark took a breath of relief at this point he'll have the ship in their control in another minute. He ran through the ship gentle taps on the head to dispatch the crew. Before long he found his destination in the engine room opening it only for a sword to come right at him as Clark acted quick and caught it stopping Steppenwolf's killing blow.

Steppenwolf looked at him. "Hmm I knew you'd be on the first boat. Always the hero."

* * *

Pierce watches from the window the commotion caused by Steve, Clark, and Sam trying to stop the helicarriers from firing, he turns to one of the World Security Council. "Let me ask you a question. What if Pakistan marched into Mumbai tomorrow, and you knew that they were gonna drag your daughters into a soccer stadium for an execution?" Pierce hands the man a glass of champagne. "And you could just stop it with a flick of a switch. Would you? Wouldn't you all?"

The man looked at him disgusted, "Not if it was your switch." He tossed the glass away showing why he was chosen for the job.

One of the HYDRA agents hands Pierce his gun and Pierce points it at the man, suddenly an older woman kicked him out of harm's way, then effortlessly took down the other HYDRA agents in a series of kick punches before finally taking the gun from Pierce and pointed it at him, she then removes her disguise to reveal it's Natasha.

"I'm sorry. Did I step on your moment?" Natasha asked.

* * *

Maria kept her eyes on the monitors. "Guys no one is at the point where they need to be what's going on?"

Clark dodged a sword swing as fast as he can. "I'm fighting the devil's uncle give me a minute."

Sam flew through the sky two planes right in pursuit. "At this point it's an accomplishment I'm still alive. I found those bad guys Steve was talking about."

Maria shook her head not good. "Five minutes guys!"

* * *

One of the security council looked at Natasha typing on a keyboard. "What are you doing?"

Pierce shook his head so this is how the future will die if they have their way. "She's disabling security protocols and dumping all the secrets onto the Internet."

"Including HYDRA's." Natasha replied.

Pierce nodded. It's a new world whether this succeeds or not. Everyone but the vigilantes in Metropolis' life is going to be turned upside down. "And SHIELD's. If you do this, none of your past is gonna remain hidden." Natasha continues typing into the computer "Are you sure you're ready for the world to see you as you really are?"

"Are you?" Natasha asked.

* * *

Clark threw a punch that Steppenwolf dodged and jumped high. "Hiding up high is a coward's tactic."

Steppenwolf looked at him unflinching. "You're so sure you're the good guys right. Do you know why we're taking your world?"

Clark rolled his eyes. "Because nothing good ever comes out of the sky anymore."

"The humans" Steppenwolf shook his head in disgust. "So primitive and violent still after all this time. They'll all draw her gaze and trust me you don't want that."

Clark looked at him. "Who?"

Steppenwolf shook his head in disbelief. If Kal El is too stupid to figure it out he's not going to tell him. "I'd laugh if it wasn't so pathetic." Steppenwolf threw a couple knives Clark was quick to dodge as he jumped down.

* * *

Pierce looked at the Russian woman. "Disabling the encryption is an executive order, it takes two Alpha Level members."

Natasha looked at him unplaced. "Don't worry, company's coming." Pierce looked out the window as helicopter appeared outside, landed and Nick Fury stepped out to enter the building to Pierce's surprise with a blond with a recurve bow following closely behind.

Pierce looked at him undisturbed. There's a reason he chose Nick for the job. "Did you get my flowers?" Fury looked at him coldly "I'm glad you're here, Nick."

Fury looked at what used to be a friend. "Really? Cause I thought you had me killed."

"You know how the game works." Pierce countered.

"So why make me head of SHIELD?" Fury asked.

Pierce looked at him with almost a smile thinking back to happier times. "Cause you're the best and the most ruthless person I ever met."

"I did what I did to protect people." Fury countered.

Pierce nodded because sadly and morbidly he agreed with Fury. "Our enemies are your enemies, Nick. Disorder, war. It's just a matter of time before a dirty bomb goes off in Moscow, or an EMP fries Chicago. Diplomacy? Holding action, a band-aid. And you know where I learned that; Bogota. You didn't ask, you just did what had to be done. I can bring order to the lives of seven billion people by sacrificing twenty million. It's the next step, Nick, if you have the courage to take it."

Fury shook his head. "No, I have the courage not to." Fury took Pierce to the retinal scanner with Natasha pointing her gun at him in case he tried anything.

"Retinal scanner active." The computer announced.

Chloe walked over to Natasha looking at her screen of SHIELD's secrets on the off chance there's actually something that got by her Brainiac fueled firewalls she learned of during the possession a couple years back.

Pierce looked at Fury almost insulted. "You don't you think we wiped your clearance from the system? "

Fury nodded. "I know you erased my password, probably deleted my retinal scan, but if you want to stay ahead of me, Mr. Secretary..." Fury removed his eye patch to reveal his scarred dead eye. "You need to keep both eyes open." They both looked into the retinal scanner with Fury using his dead eye.

"Alpha Level confirmed. Encryption code accepted. Safeguards removed." The computer replied.

* * *

Clark threw a punch catching Steppenwolf in the jaw. Steppenwolf responded with a punch to Clark's gut that knocked him off the top of the boat to the floor wih rattling impact. Well at least at this rate they're going to damage the carrier enough to sink it.

Steppenwolf held his sword. "Give it up Kal, you can't beat me!" He lunged down ready to impale Clark to the carrier as the kryptonian got his hands up and caught the sword.

Clark looked at him. "Honestly I don't know if I can beat you or not." He kicked Steppenwolf and got to his feet. Steppenwolf quickly switched to knives to try for a repeat but Clark just stepped aside and grabbed him by each wrist with his hands. "I just know I don't have the time to."

Steppenwolf shouted as his entire body turned to light and was seemingly absorbed by Clark's hand.

* * *

"What the fu…" Sam looked down disturbed while dodging missiles and bullets. "Clark, I'm not seeing things up here right? Your hand did just eat someone?"

Clark looked down at the phantom zone crystal he took from Watchtower. "It's complicated I'll explain if we don't die."

"Fair enough"

* * *

Chloe smiled seeing everything. "Hey we're trending number 2 worldwide."

Fury looked at her. "What's number one?"

"Hashtag… The Last Jedi spoilers?" Chloe replied she looked up and a burning hole forming in the world security council members one by one until only Natasha was left.

Chloe quickly grabbed her bow and Fury aimed his gun at Pierce.

Pierce shook his head. "Unless you want a two inch hole in her sternum, I'd put that gun down." Natasha just grabbed her gun and aimed it as well. "That was armed the moment you pinned it on." Fury, Chloe, and Natasha reluctantly lower their weapons."

* * *

A swarm of HYDRA Agents rushed to the now open door just as quickly they're sent sailing through the air and to the floor. Clark kept walking not even slowing down while he pulled out his targeting blade and put it into the base. "Alpha locked."

On the second carrier the famous shield bounced off the last soldier's head as Steve caught his weapon and calmly put the second blade in. "Beta locked."

Sam flew and a dodged missile that blew open a hole in the last ship as Sam flew in and quickly kicked the last two guards knocking them down. He ran up and installed the last blade. "Charlie locked."

* * *

The Hydra officer stared in confusion as their targeting systems went offline as all twenty million targets disappeared. "Targets… where are the targets?"

Maria smiled seeing how fast those three worked. "OK guys since you did that so fast it's going to take me a minute to redirect. Just get clear for now."

* * *

Pierce frowned hearing the team's success over the intercoms. He turned to Natasha so much already wasted. "Time to go, Councilwoman. This way, come on. You're gonna fly me out of here." Pierce started to leave with Natasha.

"You know, there was a time I would have taken a bullet for you."

Pierce turned to his old friend with a smile. "You already did. You will again when..." Just then Natasha quickly activated one of her weapons causing it to shock her and give Fury a chance to shoot Pierce, Fury aimed quickly and fired twice before Chloe could even notch an arrow.

Chloe looked in a bit of wonder. "Whoa"

Fury walked over to Natasha who is lying unconscious on the floor. "Romanoff! Natasha! Natasha, come on!"

Natasha opened her eyes. "Ow. Those really do sting."

The three took a breath of relief until the shadows on the wall came to life starting to take shape as a flock of ravens before turning into one massive shadow standing as a thirteen feet tall shadow with glowing red eyes.

Fury looked at it. "What the hell is that thing?"

"Darkseid." Chloe replied. The three fired but since it was just a shadow hit absolutely nothing.

The shadow moved now standing over Pierce. "Is this how you want your story to end?"

Pierce shook his head. "I wanted to save the world."

"You still can." The shadow offered. "Your dream doesn't have to die here."

Pierce looked at him. At the end of the day he is still a business man. "What do you want in exchange?"

"Your soul." Darkseid answered.

Pierce smiled. "Peace is a responsibility. Do whatever you have to do."

Darkseid smiled and seemingly disappeared into Pierce.

Natasha, Fury and Chloe watched as what should be a dead corpse got back to his feet. The three each fired to almost no effect as Darkseid just ran for the window and jumped right out of it seemingly into the sky.

* * *

Clark smiled seeing daylight as he stepped outside all the guns aimed at each other until a shadow filled the sky. Clark looked up in confusion what can bring shade to a… "Oh sh…"

Darkseid crashed into the kryptonian for lack of a better word as three loud crashes were heard one for each floor they crashed through. Darkseid smiled picking Clark up off the floor and just threw him in a straight line through two more doors bringing him back to the control room.

Clark got to his feet and Darkseid looked at him trying to get a familiar feeling. Clark shook his head and looked right at him and hit him with a blast of heat vision knocking him to one knee.

Darkseid got to his feet. "You beat your darkness. Makes it interesting." Darkseid put his hand up as smoke left it and entered the collection of blades.

* * *

Maria typed in the last command ready to fire until to her horror the original twenty million targets showed up. "Guys? Guys something just went horribly wrong!" She went frantically smashing at the keyboard. "No, no, no!"

"What!" Steve asked hearing the panic attack.

Maria looked at it. "Something went wrong in Alpha carrier, Insight's original targeting just dropped like a hammer and I can't turn it off!"

Steve's eyes widened just once this looked like it was going to be easy. "Sam!"

"I'm coming hang on!" Steve simply ran for the edge of the ship and seeing Falcon quickly jumped off. Sam quickly grabbed Steve as they made a break for the first carrier.

The two quickly make it to the first carrier only for one of Sam's wings to take a hit from a bullet forcing him to drop Steve onto the ship as Sam lands not so gracefully afterwards.

Maria's eyes quickly widened seeing the STRIKE team on its way. Three right at the door. She quickly pulls out a gun and effortlessly killed the three as they entered.

Steve turns around and sees the Winter Soldier was who shot Sam down. "Buck, look a lot of people are going to die if you don't let us through."

Chloe looked at the screen nervously. "Guys, Maria is about to have some company. I'm not worried about the toadies but Rumlow could give her a problem."

Steve turned to Falcon. "Can you get to her?"

"Of course." Sam started running as Steve threw the shield hitting Bucky in the face knocking the winter soldier mask off.

* * *

Clark stayed hidden at the tower he needs time to figure out something he's not giving up but Darkseid isn't even trying here. He ripped off a piece of the metal floor and just chucked it right at Darkseid.

Darkseid simply stuck his hand up and caught it and tossed it aside. Darkseid held his hand up and against his own will Clark floated into the demon's hand as Darkseid clutched the kryptonian around the throat. "You're not there yet." Darkseid threw him through two walls. "And you never will be."

Clark's eyes glowed red and he screamed out letting loose with everything he had.

Darkseid smiled as his eyes glowed a much darker shade of red as two beams shot out of his eyes. The first one cut a path right through the heat vision hitting Clark with the force of an eighteen wheeler on a defenseless kitten. He feels everything light up in pain feeling like he just bought a butane lighter into a fight against a flamethrower. To his surprise Darkseid's blast curves taking him up into the air.

* * *

Sam fell closer to the building Maria was in before deploying a parachute. He saw the building coming up quick and used the guns on his suit to shoot at a window weakening the glass right before he hit it and crashed into the building for lack of a better word but got into the building. He put the wings aside being nothing more then a wing and a used parachute.

* * *

Steve moved quick blocking shot after shot from Bucky's metal arm with his shield. The fight came to a grinding halt when Clark was launched from below them into the sky in front of them. They watched as a second beam came out and launched Clark back to the ground.

Darkseid jumped out moments later and looked at Clark practically broken. "Impressive, I did not think I would meet a man that can survive a blast from my Omega beams let alone two. Sadly you'll obliterate my darkness if you're not stopped." Darkseid looked at him and stood ready to fire when two very unexpected things happened. First Darkseid was hit in the side of the neck hard by a thrown Vibranium shield. The second the blind sided Darkseid involuntarily put his head up as the beam fired directly at Charlie carrier.

Clark and Steve watched as the beam hit Charlie carrier head on and destroyed it leaving nothing but smoke in its wake.

Steve smiled seeing at least one of the ships gone. The smile quickly vanished as Bucky got him into a choke hold trying to choke the life out of him.

Darkseid looked at Steve for a moment that's not going to happen again. Darkseid simply kept looking at Captain America as an Omega beam fired again heading for Steve. Clark moved as fast as his legs could still take him grabbing the shield in mid air and landing right in front of Steve. The shield did its job and sent the blast right to back to Darkseid punching a hole through Pierce's chest knocking him down and gasping for breath. Clark took the opening and just threw the shield at Bucky's head knocking him out cold as he and Steve fell to the floor.

Clark ran in a blur and came back with a parachute. "Get him out of here! Don't let him out of your sight! I might know a way to help him."

Steve looked and saw Pierce getting back up. "You sure about that?"

Clark nodded and let out a savage heat vision blast at Darkseid knocking him down before he could even get up. "I know who I am… and I know what to do."

Steve put Bucky over his shoulder. "Good Luck."

* * *

Rumlow ran for Hill how can one SHIELD agent put down so many of his friends… one that is not Barton or Romanoff anyway. He ran on the same floor as Hill and just then Sam rushed out and attacked Rumlow but Rumlow managed to knock Sam down. "This is gonna hurt. There are no prisoners with HYDRA, just order. And order only comes through pain. You ready for yours?"

"Man, shut the hell up." Sam countered and the two fought Sam wanting to give Hill more time to shut it down.

* * *

 ** _Three months ago._**

 _Clark looked at his younger… older cousin dejected. Jor El chose her. "I think I liked it better when I was showing you the ropes."_

 _Kara smiled remembering her first days. How did Kal El not lock her in the zone? "I guess change is in the air."_

 _Clark closes his eyes trying to focus. This is the last thing he has to learn. Flight, he doesn't know what happened to him because he's been able to do this since he was 14. He should have mastered it by 18. But denial… one hell of a thing. It's a mental block because of his denial of being anything but normal. But flying has happened a couple times accidentally. Now he has to control it to stand up to the darkness according to Kara._

 _Clark looked at his cousin for some last piece of advice. "This is easy for you huh?"_

 _Kara shook her head but a gave a little nod too to his confusion. "No it's-it's not easy or hard, it just is. I mean I-I reach for the sky and the world just falls away. I'm not thinking of anything I'm just in the moment."_

* * *

Clark smiled for so long he figured it was just something with him and in a way it was. A mental block he put on himself. He'll never be human he was born a kryptonian. It's time to accept that. It just is. Clark ran to the edge of the carrier and simply jumped off taking to the sky. Clark smiled seeing the sky stopped moving and him still in it. He did it.

Darkseid let out a mean snarl. He's doing it. "You will not stop me now!" Darkseid went to fly after him but the gaping hole in his chest stopped him. Darkseid grabbed the wound and just fired in a flurry releasing six lines of the omega blast.

Clark flew faster then he thought possible the six beams right behind him. Wow he thinks the cape makes him quicker and better with turns. He took a sharp turn right and the beams followed. Clark shook his head. Great heat seeking laser beams, well that's a new one.

Natasha looked at the sight from the carrier's camera. "He can do that!?"

Chloe looked at it with a smile. It's about time. "He does that!"

Clark looked at it. OK he can't out run them because they follow him so let's try this. Clark spins in a barrel roll eventually turning into something like a red twister. The six beams continue to chase him turning into a swirl until eventually three of them collide creating an explosion leaving three beams left. Clark flew for the Bravo carrier and came to a stop. Clark watched the beams come at him and he has one chance. He flies and grabs onto the side of Bravo carrier and quickly flies up making one the beams hit Bravo carrier for the same result bringing the ship count down to one.

Clark smiled flying up and saw one of the Omega beams fly above him. Clark took a sharp turn to the right dodging the beam with a smile. He flew a bit before he gasped for his next breath he looked down and saw the last of the Omega beams as it shot out of his chest then disappeared.

Darkseid watched in a smile with Clark falling towards him just trying to hang on and stay up so he sent the last beam after him.

Clark flew right at Darkseid coming down to the carrier's level. Darkseid smiled as his eyes lit up but stopped as Clark crashed about ten feet from him.

Darkseid smiled walking over to him as his eyes lit up. "In what world could you have stopped me?"

Darkseid bent down to grab Clark when top his surprise The teenager's arm moved in a blur and snatched him by the throat lifting his head up.

Darkseid growled as… the light went out of his eyes and his face lit up in fear seeing the last Omega going right for his head. "Oh sh…"

Pierce's head was vaporized instantly as a flock of ravens scattered to the sky.

Clark went to stand up but that wasn't working as he fell right back down. "Maria, can't help but notice this thing is still getting ready to fire."

Maria took out her gun shooting the last two leaving her an empty gun with one HYDRA agent left Rumlow. She took a breath of relief seeing Rumlow tackled aside by Sam so she has no shot without friendly fire. "Yeah I'm working on it one minute to go. Or till Rumlow gets past Sam."

Steve looked up from the ground and hist his communicator. "You can't turn it off!"

Maria shook her head. "All I can do is swap out the targets from the list so what poor bastard are we dropping one third of the wrath of heaven on?"

"Number 16! Everything you have on 16!" Clark shouted.

Maria's eyes rose. "What did 16 do to you?"

Clark shook his head. "I'm number 16. All the bullets go straight up and the missiles will…"

"Tear this ship apart." Maria finished as she shifted everything to one target.

Chloe smiled hearing that. "Ever the hero"

Clark looked as all the guns aimed up and fired randomly into the sky. He only smiled seeing the missiles in the sky as they all went up for a couple moments before dropping right down coming for his head. "Oh and don't forget to take Zola's algorithm with you on the way out."

* * *

Steve watched from the ground as a flat out horror show took place in the sky seeing the ships own missiles tearing it apart. Sad thing is if Clark wasn't doing it… he would have done it in his place. He watches as the carrier starts to drop a piece smashing into the building Sam and Maria are in. "Well that can't be good."

* * *

Maria got up from the computer and took a jump drive that now contained the algorithm all the boats are blown to hell why would Clark want this. She looked out the window and saw a ship rapidly coming right at her as she ran out of the room.

Sam and Brock continued exchanging punches when to their surprise Maria went running out of the room heading for the other side. The two men watched as the walls practically exploded as the two ran after her.

Sam desperately ran. "Tell me you have that thing in the air!"

"Sam where are you guys?" Natasha asked.

"41st floor, north-west corner!" Sam shouted catching up to Maria as Brock was hit by the debris quickly disappearing into it.

"We're on it, stay where you are." Natasha ordered.

Sam ran with Maria the two desperately trying to get away from the destruction the helicarrier is causing the building. "Not an option!" As the building is being destroyed the two jumped out the window as Natasha and Fury fly their chopper in time to catch him. Natasha catching Sam Chloe catching Maria before they go right out the other side.

"41st floor! 41st!" Sam shouted.

Fury glared at him. "It's not like they put the floor numbers on the outside of the building!"

The group looked down and saw the carrier hit the ocean with a giant wave and then nothing as the final helicarrier sank to the ocean bottom.

* * *

Clark looked on as water began to overtake him. He looked to the ocean and knew what Darkseid as capable of. He wondered if anyone had gotten off those carriers when he and Darkseid started fighting. He was planning to throw them off when the guns started shooting and then Darkseid showed up. He watched as more and more of the earth started to disappear from view swallowed by water. Well he stopped HYDRA he'll…

Clark sunk lower and lower not moving. He kept sinking till he was grabbed by a gloved red hand as Steve pulled him back up swimming for the surface.

Steve took a breath of relief coming to land and dumped Clark atop the parachute. He looked around rattled not seeing Bucky.

Steve's eyes widened hearing the known sound of a gun being aimed behind him. "Bucky…"

"Who the hell is Bucky?" The soldier asked.

Steve put his hands up. "You, you're Bucky do you even remember your real name?"

The soldier looked at him keeping his gun at Steve but hesitating to pull the trigger.

Steve looked at him. "How about your parents, your friends, where did you got to school, where did you grow up?"

The soldier kept his focus. "Shut up!"

Steve kept his hands up trying not to force a fight. "You don't know any of that because HYDRA took it from you. All they gave you were missions."

"Be quiet." The soldier repeated.

Steve looked at him. "You know me."

The soldier dropped the gun but lashed out at Steve in anger as Steve dodged the punch. "No, I don't!"

Steve kept his focus he's not giving up on him. "Bucky, you've known me your whole life." Bucky hits Steve but Steve chooses not to fight back.

"No, I don't!" The soldier shouted.

Steve just let his friend hit him again with another punch. "Bucky, you've known me your whole life." Bucky hit Steve again but Steve chooses not to fight back still. "Your name is James Buchanan Barnes."

The soldier hit Steve again. "Shut up!"

Steve shook his head and took his mask off. "I'm not gonna fight you. You're my friend.

Bucky pushed Steve to the ground "You're my mission." He then mercilessly punches Steve repeatedly across the face in a ground and pound before long blood starts gushing from Steve. "You're my mission!"

Steve looked at him through the blood. "Then finish it." Bucky hesitated holding his fist up. "Cause I'm with you to the end of the line."

* * *

Clark opened his eyes and heard soothing music and saw Chloe hard at work at the side of his bed in a chair trying to find heads or tails of the Justice Society and Sam right next to her.

He rubbed his eyes seeing Emil Hamilton a doctor for his and Oliver's team come in. "What's today?"

"Wednesday Clark." Emil answered.

Clark nodded. "So, what I miss?"

"Tuesday" Emil answered calmly before adding. "That gaping chest wound was worrisome but you pulled through."

Clark nodded in acceptance though that calm from Emil was disturbing. "Is Natasha or Maria here?"

Emil nodded. "Natasha was in a senate hearing. She dumped a lot of secrets but luckily The Red Queen and Chloe kept all of you off HYDRA's radar. I think Maria is here. I'll go get her."

Chloe looked at him from her seat. "First thing you're thinking of when you wake up is the girls of SHIELD? For god sakes I can't find anyone we care about except Lois and Emil."

Clark looked at her. "Chloe, it will be alright. We'll find them. I promise."

Sam looked at him. "You seem very confident about that."

"I am." Clark assured the two. "Where's Cap?"

Sam looked at him and explained the situation as Maria walked into the room.

The SHIELD agent smiled seeing the young man awake although slightly disturbed that the entire payload of a helicarrier didn't even put a scratch in his costume. "You wanted to see me?"

Clark nodded. "Do you still have Project Insight?"

Maria went into her pocket and pulled out a flash drive that she gave to Clark. "I don't know why I still have something this dangerous."

Clark handed the flash drive to Chloe. "I need to find a couple targets. Specifically numbers 30 and 33."

Chloe's eyes lit up. "Oh my god that's brilliant! I'll check the rest of the thirties. That seems to be where we're all at."

Sam looked at her. "I don't understand what's brilliant."

Chloe got to work on the computer. "For two days I've been searching cell towers search history anything I can to find our friends. HYDRA already found them for Insight." Chloe put the flash drive in and before long Chloe got a location in… " They're at Black Creek. They're using Lex's old hideout."

Clark shrugged. "At least we know the layout of the place."

Chloe nodded. "Take a couple hours to rest up and get some sun. When Natasha comes back we're getting them out."

* * *

Author Notes

Thanks to everyone who reviewed and follows and favorites.

As for Darkseid. This will not be lame evil fog in a corpse. This is going to be a fight. Clark would not stand a chance as the blur he needed to be more in these stories. He has his powers he has the suit but he's not ready for the name yet.

Finally at a good place at long last and feeling good to write, the finale will be up by Friday and a long long awaited story should start on Sunday i wanted to finish one story first then update the rest of my stories.

Laptop 2007-2017 every time I thought it was dead it kept coming back finally gave up in march covered in duct tape.

Up Next: Epilogue


	7. Chapter 7

Chloe waited patiently outside of what she can best describe as an incubation tube. In it was a blond haired man whom was starting to come to. She smiled seeing his eyes start to open.

Oliver opened his eyes seeing trace of familiar shades of blond hair. "Dinah?"

Tess let out a low gulp from the computer seeing her avatar had found Courtney. Poor Chloe that had to be painful.

Chloe shook her head. Well she had an answer as to whether those emails were actually platonic. "Same hair color but I have a very different set of pipes."

Oliver shot up seeing her. He knew it he knew she wasn't dead. "Chloe!"

Chloe helped him out and to his feet. "Just take it easy, I got you."

Oliver looked at her. "The rest of the JSA they're all here!"

"She's outside fighting with some old and new friends. Some of our friends are still trapped in VR see for yourself." Chloe pointed to the screen showing the fight outside.

Oliver looked to the screen outside and saw a couple soldiers knocked aside as almost something like a group shot in a movie revealing a solid line of hurt showing Clark in a new costume, Black Canary, Impulse, Captain America, The Winter Soldier, Black Widow, and some new guy Oliver is sure Carter would have torn apart if he had still been alive to see him with those wings. "Chloe, you want to catch me up on what you've been doing?"

Chloe shook her head as Tess located Cyborg and J'onn Jones in VR world as Chloe put a duffel bag down in front of Oliver. "Not at this moment I need Green Arrow out there helping the others."

Oliver opened the bag revealing a compound bow and his gear.

* * *

Before long more and more members of Clark's team joined the field. What was already a one sided battle with Clark on one side turned into a flat out curb stomp battle between the JSA and the Avengers against the rogue army.

Steve hit a soldier with his shield. He watched as the newest member of the group joined the fray seeing a young blond woman jump down with a staff in her hands and clothes similar to him.

Courtney Whitmore looked at the approaching army and ran staff in hand as she used it to hit the floor sending her front flipping into the air landing in the middle of ten soldiers. Once she landed her staff shot light in all directions knocking all the soldiers aside. She caught her breath and looked at the man dressed like her in a new revere. "Oh my god, you're… you're him!"

Steve smiled in disbelief. "Yes I am. Guessing you're a fan?"

"I come from a long line of fans. I wish the Star Spangled kid could have seen this." Courtney replied.

They both turned to the loud explosion a distance in front of them caused by a tank shell shot. They watched as Clark emerged unfazed as he flew right to the tank and ripped the cannon off and hit the tank with it once on each side knocking off any form of traction the tank had on each side turning the tank into the world's largest paperweight incapable of even moving.

Clark walked by Courtney. "Maybe you can get that autograph after the fight Stargirl?" Steve couldn't help but let out a disbelieving smile.

Courtney nodded Clark's back too. "Of course welcome back boy scout"

Clark groaned he needs a better code-name but. "Good to be back."

* * *

After an hour everyone was free saved for one glaring omission. Clark looked at what was supposed to be the last captive and only saw a glaring nothing when he opened it.

Clark looked at the empty capsule. "Where's Kara?"

Oliver shook his head. "We don't know we figured she was here. She was at Carter's funeral with the rest of us."

* * *

Chloe looked at Dinah a bit uneasily then conveniently happened to find her eyes glued to a monitor.

Tess walked up next to her and felt like she was back in high school. "Looking at the updated systems?"

"No, they're fine." Chloe replied. "Might be updating them with a thing or two I learned from the road."

Tess looked over at the Black Canary. "He had to let someone in."

"What?" Chloe asked.

"Oliver" Tess clarified. "He had to let someone in. Chloe you were the woman he loved maybe he still does. But you were gone. He also couldn't go to his best friend because Clark was gone too. He had to let someone in Chloe."

Chloe nodded in understanding. "Yeah I know."

* * *

Steve walked into the room and saw John Jones sitting quietly with Bucky. This is the guy that's supposed to be able to help him. He looks no different then Sam except his eyes turns red every now and then. "Buck…" The Winter Soldier smiled. "Is everything OK?"

"Your mother's name was Sarah." Bucky Barnes slowly smiled remembering his first happy memories in seventy years. "You used to wear newspapers in your shoes."

Steve smiled seeing something from the time in his past here with him now.

* * *

Oliver looked at his best friend. "Clark, if you want to set out and find her you can. I've done a good job at holding down the fort."

Dinah looked at him. "Yeah I believe his exact leading words were 'what would Clark do?'"

Oliver glared at the blond haired Canary. "Tweety and I have had a couple rounds and working together for the past couple months."

Clark looked at Oliver he's going to choose to think he just misinterpreted that as sparring.

* * *

Fury walked into the old facility after visiting his own grave… never thought he'd think that again.

Nick Fury entered the base wearing sunglasses and a hoodie. Fury looked over to Sam, Steve, and Bucky. He focused on Steve. "So, you've experienced this sort of thing before?"

Steve nodded. "You get used to it."

"We've been data-mining HYDRA's files. Looks Like a lot of rats didn't go down with the ship. I'm heading to Europe tonight, wanted to ask if you'd come." Fury asked.

Steve shook his head. "I figured someone I knew was unstoppable. I found out on the carrier that wasn't true and the next fight will likely be worse."

Fury turned to the Sam and Bucky. "How about you two? I could use men with your abilities."

Bucky shook his head. "I've been following orders for almost a seventy years. I think I need to figure some things out for my self right now."

"I'm more of a soldier than a spy." Sam replied.

Fury looked at them. "Alright then." Sam, Bucky, and Steve shook Fury's hand. "Anybody asks for me, tell them they can find me in my grave." As Fury left Natasha joined the boys.

The spy looked at the scene and smiled. "You should be honored, that's about as close as he gets to saying thank you."

"Not going with him?" Steve asked

"No." Natasha replied.

Steve looked at her. "Not staying here?"

"I blew all my covers, I gotta go figure out a new one." Natasha replied.

Steve looked at her sadly losing a friend for a while. "That might take a while."

"Maybe." Natasha replied.

Natasha walked right by Chloe and Oliver and simply said. "Take care of him for me."

Oliver looked in confusion as Chloe looked away. Take care of who?

* * *

Natasha just kept walking finding the last person she wanted to talk to before leaving. She saw Clark leaning against the wall lost in thought. "So what's on your mind?"

Clark shook his head. "Kara wasn't here. She was kind of our big gun against Darkseid."

"Funny, you're the one who beat him on the carrier." Natasha replied.

Clark shook his head. "I got lucky with a stray shot."

Natasha looked at him confused. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" Clark asked.

"Underestimate yourself." Natasha answered. "You killed the big bad."

Clark shook his head. "Didn't kill him. Just obliterated his vessel. Those ravens still got away which means he's still out there. And I've been reading up on Kara's adventures while I was away. Metropolis needs her."

Natasha nodded. "Well, for now they have to settle for you. So you better get home sounds like you have work to do."

Clark looked at her as it sunk in. "You're not coming?"

"My secrets weren't protected by a foreign to earth firewall. Blew up all my old aliases have to make a new one." Natasha replied. "So does that S you wear stand for anything?"

"Hope." Clark answered and smiled. "Or it could mean still in progress. I'm still trying to figure it out."

Natasha let out a smile. "Well it will be an interesting day when you do figure it out. I'll see you around Clark."

Clark smiled watching as Natasha quietly walked out of the base. "See you around."

* * *

Chloe smiled walking up to Clark. "So I wanted to thank you for... well I'm just going to say everything since 8th grade."

Clark smiled and playfully put his arm around her. "Anytime, but for now, I think it is long past time for us to go home."

Oliver looked up. "Actually there is one thing since we're all here in this rare moment with the exception of Kara. Before he died Carter ordered me to give the JSA a new name. He didn't want the society's past to drag us down."

Clark looked at him, Bart, AC, J'onn, Victor, Dinah, and Courtney before declaring. "I got nothing."

AC quipped. "The insurgency?"

"No!"

Victor looked up with a smile. "The Titans" Everyone just looked at him silently. "Hey I'm keeping that."

Chloe held her head knowing what was coming.

Steve looked at her seeing little bits of verbal fighting start but Clark and Dinah breaking it up. "Are they always like this?"

Chloe nodded. "They're best friends you mess with one and all will come running if asked. But sometimes they're as efficient as the League of Nations." Chloe turned to Steve looking at her in thought. Chloe noticed the look and just asked. "What?"

* * *

 **One Month Later**

Clark walked into the Daily Planet and quickly went to his desk. His face buried in a newspaper. Across from his desk the newest well re-recruit to the Daily Planet rolled her eyes. How can he still do this after a month.

Chloe looked at him in disbelief. "Second shelf Clark you really gotta start bringing them with you since you just get them from the dollar store."

Clark quickly grabbed the box from the shelf and opened them as he put down the paper and quickly put the glasses on his face. "Remind me again how I let you talk me into this? And then let Zatanna cast that spell?"

Chloe looked at him in an innocent smile. "Talk into is kind of a loose word after the attack on the helicarriers leaked on YouTube" Her and Clark working together to steal a peacock feather of all things but on the bright side thanks to Zatanna anyone who's ever seen Clark and doesn't know his secret just thinks he has always wore glasses since the meteor shower.

"Kent, I need you to give the new girl the tour." A voice said over the PA.

Clark got to his feet. "You figured Tess would have asked this morning."

* * *

Clark walked over to the big office and smiled seeing Tess with a black haired woman in glasses.

Tess smiled seeing the boy scout come in. "Clark, I want you to meet our newest employee Laura Matthers, can you show her around?"

Clark smiled and shook her hand. "No problem Ms. Mercer. Ms. Matthers I'm Clark Kent."

"Laura Matthers" Laura replied in a Boston accent as she shook his hand as the two left the office to start the tour.

Once the two were out of earshot Clark quietly whispered right next to her. "So does Tess even know that's you under there?"

Laura looked at him. "What do you mean sir?"

Clark shook his head as his lips curved up. He knows who she is. She's not secretive enough to get past a kryptonian. "Come on you're not getting it past me."

"Funny thing was I did get it past Chloe and Oliver this morning when he drove her in." Laura replied.

Clark looked at her. "So what are you doing here Nat?"

"I had a change of heart. Figured I'd stay near you guys. From the sound of it this fight against the Darkness is just beginning." Natasha replied. "And I can't exactly get the red from my ledger out under SHIELD anymore."

"And Laura?" Clark asked out of curiosity hoping she's not looking into his past and screwing with him.

"Homage to a friend." Natasha replied.

Clark nodded in understanding her motives. Some of the members are like that Oliver and Dinah in particular. Although falling for Lex's Good Samaritan act doesn't seem too bad to Clark's eyes. Clark looked to the wall or more likely through the wall. "Not again!"

Natasha looked at him. "What's wrong?"

Clark shook his head. "Granny's girls are at it again I gotta go. You already know your way around right?"

Natasha stepped aside as Clark headed upstairs. She scouted the Planet and has a couple tools well hidden. She saw that thing come after Clark in a dying man's body and crushed him after piggy backing off an already established plan. The real fight will likely be a whole lot worse. Right now she thinks right here is where she will do the most good. Because it's going to be one hell of a fight once Clark and Darkseid are fully ready.

She smiled watching a red blue blur fly past the city as the next fight starts as it sunk in to her.

This is only the beginning.

* * *

Author Notes

Thanks for the reviews

I was planning to write a Wreck It Ralph fanfic. With a SNES Play choice 3 with Super Mario World, Zelda: A Link to the Past, and F-Zero showing up at the arcade. Mario being infuriated that he has to share an arcade with Jumpman since he keeps getting blamed for Jumpman's animal cruelty. Vanelope as a DAD (Damsel Against Distress) What did you think I meant? Basically her against princesses like Peach and Zelda. Find out Zelda thinks her game is real because no one can beat it in 5 minutes for obvious reasons. Leading to Vanelope, Ralph, and Felix surfing the web to try to figure out a way beat the game through glitching in less then five minutes to set the hylians free as they can't risk breaking the game by touching Ganon who knows they're just a game but doesn't want the truth revealed because he wins in here as opposed to Ocarina of Time since no one can beat the game.

With the exception of Jumpman and Mario, replace the VG princesses with Disney Princessess and you'll have something suspiciously similar to wreck it ralph 2 Add to my own very big backlog and that's why I cancelled it PM guy who turned off replies.

As for the sequel, well it will go up at some point but over the past few years I wrote what I could when I could to take my mind off things leaving a mess of stories unfinished while I am putting one new one up because I've been planning it since last year and technically I wrote the first chapter last year. I'm going to focus on finishing ones I fell behind in before posting new ones.

To Arrow fans a very specific crossover you've been waiting very patiently for is going up soon


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